SEOUL: All 179 victims of the deadly plane crash last Sunday (Dec 29) have been identified as of 6am Wednesday (Jan 1), according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.
The officials early in the day confirmed the identity of five victims, the last to be identified from the fatal accident.
The identification process took nearly four days, as many of the bodies were severely damaged in the explosion and fire that followed the crash.
Officials are discussing details with the bereaved families regarding funerals and handing over the bodies.
The government is providing medical assistance to bereaved family members, along with support for funerals for the victims.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok urged the government to prioritize handing over the victims' bodies to the family members, saying that parts of the funeral process have already started.
He also stressed that the officials should focus on ensuring that any information related to the investigation on the crash is promptly relayed to the victims' families and the general public.
The Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 was due to land at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province Sunday morning, but overran the runway after it landed without deploying landing gear.
The cause behind the crash is still being investigated. A total of 175 passengers and six crew members were onboard at the time, but only two flight attendants survived the crash.
It is the deadliest aviation disaster to occur in South Korea, and has the seventh-highest number of casualties out of all accidents here.
The 1995 collapse of the Sampoong Department Store recorded the highest number of casualties, with 502 dead and six missing. - The Korea Herald/ANN
