South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered an urgent safety inspection of the country’s entire aviation system. In addition, the government in Seoul is considering plans for a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft in operation across the country. This comes after the crash on Sunday, which is now considered South Korea’s worst domestic aviation disaster.

The country has entered a seven-day period of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast. Acting President Choi visited the crash site in the southwest of the country for a memorial service.

Out of the 179 passengers and crew on board, 141 have been identified through DNA testing or fingerprint analysis. Relatives of the victims have set up camp at the airport overnight in special tents placed in the airport lounge.

Investigation teams, including experts from both South Korea and the United States, are now working to determine the cause of the crash. Initially, a bird strike was suggested as a possible cause, though further investigation is ongoing to clarify the exact events. Both of the aircraft’s black boxes – the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder – have been recovered.

In a related incident, another Jeju Air flight using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft experienced a malfunction with the landing gear shortly after takeoff and had to return to Seoul's Gimpo Airport, according to Yonhap News Agency. A representative from Jeju Air confirmed they were “aware of the return incident” and are “looking into the cause.”

Experts who have reviewed footage of the crash have raised concerns about the airport's design, particularly criticizing the decision to construct a solid wall at the end of the airfield. This has sparked discussions about the safety of such structures in emergency situations.

Messages of condolences continue to pour in from around the world. U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the United States is ready to provide "any necessary assistance," while Chinese President Xi Jinping and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed their sympathies. Pope Francis, speaking to worshippers at the Vatican, said he joined "in prayer for the survivors and the deceased.