Thermal cameras to be deployed at South Korea's airports to prevent bird strikes following Jeju Air crash

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reported a comprehensive aviation safety improvement plan to a National Assembly special committee, outlining new measures to prevent future bird strike incidents at airports.

Currently, only four airports in Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju Island have thermal imaging cameras for bird detection. The government plans to install at least one camera at all 15 domestic airports, with procurement set to begin in March.

Additionally, the use of vehicle-mounted acoustic deterrent devices, which emit sounds and ultrasonic waves to scare away birds, will be expanded. These devices are currently only available at Incheon and Jeju, but more will be deployed throughout the year.

To further enhance detection capabilities, the government will also introduce bird detection radar systems at all airports to provide early warnings to aircrafts.

Furthermore, the ministry said it plans to increase the number of personnel dedicated to bird strike prevention at airports, ensuring that at least two staff members are always on duty.

A recent audit revealed that seven airports had only one staff member working at night or on weekends. On the morning of the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash, Muan International Airport, where the accident occurred, had just one bird strike prevention officer on duty.

The ministry also conducted a comprehensive safety audit of 11 domestic airlines last month, uncovering four cases of rule violations. Two cases involved failure to comply with engine maintenance procedures, while the two others were of missing maintenance records.

As earlier reported, the black boxes of the Jeju Air Co. passenger plane involved in the last December fatal crash has been found to lack data from the final four minutes before the explosion, according to investigative authorities.