Seoul: Seven transport ministry officials have been referred to prosecutors for allegedly covering up the unfit status of a localizer blamed for the high number of casualties in the 2024 Jeju Air plane crash, police said Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the deadly crash on December 29, 2024, resulted in the deaths of 179 passengers and crew members. The tragedy occurred when the passenger jet made an emergency belly landing at Muan International Airport, approximately 290 kilometers south of Seoul, and collided with a concrete mound housing the localizer, a navigation system designed to assist aircraft landings.

The seven officials were referred to the prosecution on Tuesday for allegedly drafting press releases that falsely claimed the localizer was installed according to regulations, despite knowing it was not. This information comes from a special police investigation team.

Following the crash, questions arose regarding the localizer's placement inside the concrete mound and whether it contributed to the high death toll. In response, the transport ministry released two press statements asserting that the localizer complied with regulations.

The police team suspects that ministry officials drafted these documents by omitting unfavorable regulations, such as the requirement for navigation structures to be constructed with easily breakable materials in case of an aircraft collision.

The International Civil Aviation Organization mandates that structures within 300 meters of the end of a runway must meet specific requirements, failing which they must be replaced or relocated outside the 300-meter zone.

The police investigation revealed that the officials were aware of these regulations but chose to distribute the press releases without acknowledging them.

The police probe into the crash is being conducted alongside an investigation by the aviation accident investigation board under the prime minister's office. The special police team stated that the final results of its investigation will be announced after the aviation board concludes its inquiry.