South Korea Crash: “It Can Be Very Spectacular,” Why Birds Can Cause Air Disasters ?

On December 29, 2024 in South Korea, the crash and fire of a plane carrying 181 people left several dozen dead. The incident is believed to have been caused by a collision with birds. The president of the LPO (League for the Protection of Birds) Occitanie, Pierre Maigre, explains the behavior of birds near airports.

“In France, there are between 400 and 500 collisions each year”, says Pierre Maigre, president of the LPO (League for the Protection of Birds) Occitanie. A figure that varies according to the seasons. Winter, in particular, presents a higher risk, because many species gather on airport sites to winter.

South Korea's deadliest crash

On December 29, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane, coming from Bangkok (Thailand) and heading for Muan, crashed during its landing, leaving the runway and exploding against a wall in concrete.

The final toll: 179 dead out of 181 passengers. Only two people survived, a flight attendant and a steward.

Update on the investigation

The investigators have recovered data from the black boxes of the Boeing 737-800, one of which contains cockpit conversations. Initial analyses suggest that the plane landed at high speed without deploying its landing gear, hitting a concrete wall before exploding.

According to Associated Press, engine and landing gear malfunctions are also suspected. As a result, the Boeing 737-800operated by South Korean airlines are currently undergoing inspections.

According to Le Monde, searches for “professional negligence resulting in death” have been conducted at Jeju Air headquarters and Muan Airport to determine the exact cause of the crash. Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae has been banned from leaving the country.

Officials suggest that a bird strike, known as a “bird strike,” could be a possible explanation for the incident in addition to unfavorable weather conditions.

However, the investigation is also examining the presence of a concrete wall at the end of the runway, against which the plane crashed. before catching fire.

The investigation is expected to last between six months and three years.

Why birds are found near airports ?

Collision events occur mainly during takeoff and landing, when planes are flying at low altitude. “The problem is often at a height of less than 100 meters, often a few dozen meters, where the plane is landing or taking off”, explains the expert.

What is actually happening?In the worst case, the flocks of birds, once in the air, are “swallowed” by the engines, causing a hydraulic problem. The pilot loses power and the use of both engines. If only one aircraft is affected, he must then compensate for the remaining engine to land or take off safely. All this in a very short time.

These areas are ideal for certain birds, attracted by the open spaces of the airfields, offering them good visibility to spot predators unlike the forest environment. This is the case, for example, of the seagull, which we can find at Marseille airport: “For them, the runways look like a beach. They find insects or voles there, and these open environments give them a feeling of security”, he explains.

The gull particularly present near the maritime coasts (illustration) Pixabay – TheOtherKev

Little bustards are also a problem in regions such as Béziers, where they winter near the slopes.

The Little Bustard winters near the runways, in Béziers. Unsplash – illustration – Rudmer Zwerver

Costly incidents

This type of incident – ​​rarely fatal – can cause impressive damage to aircraft. “When a plane is flying at 800 km/h and hits a bird weighing a kilo, the impact is enormous, it can be spectacular”, notes the speaker. “It looked like someone had shot the fuselage at point-blank range. The engines can be seriously damaged, sometimes to the point of catching fire”, he recalls, mentioning images of previous violent impacts.

According to the report “Aviation Risk 2020: Safety And The State Of The Nation” by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), the average cost of bird risk is 327,000 euros, which can rise up to 16 million.

How to Keep Birds Away from Runways?

One of the most common measures is to broadcast warning cries in the form of acoustic noise to scare away birds. A method which, however, has its limits since “the birds end up getting used to these sounds if no real danger arises”.

Other more sophisticated techniques: flare guns or fireworksto disperse birds before planes fly by (without killing them). In addition, falconry, increasingly used, allows birds to be hunted using falcons or Harris Hawks.

The falcon used to scare birds (illustration). Pixabay – Dlugas

The Harris Hawk also used to scare birds (illustration). Pixabay – TheOtherKev

“These birds of prey represent a real risk for other birds, which discourages them from returning”, underlines Pierre Maigre.

Preventing birds from settling

Despite these efforts, some birds remain difficult to dislodge. Which explains why “animal hazard prevention agents” are constantly patrolling the runways, the aim of which is “to scare the birds away before they even settle down permanently”.

“When you see the extent of the damage that a bird can cause to an airplane, you understand why civil aviation takes this problem very seriously”, he concludes.

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