'Bird strike! go-around': What happened minutes before South Korea's Jeju Air plane crashed

A South Korean Jeju Air passenger jet carrying 181 people crashed while landing at Muan International Airport on Sunday, killing 179. Only two crew members, seated in the plane's tail section, survived the crash.

On Monday, South Korea's transport ministry provided details of what transpired in the last few minutes before the crash. The following are the final minutes of Flight 7C2216 as provided by South Korea's transport ministry and fire authorities.

What happened to Jeju Air Flight 7C2216

8:54 a.m. - The Muan airport air traffic control authorises the aircraft to land on runway 01.

8:57 a.m. - Air traffic control gives "caution - bird activity" advisory.

8:59 a.m. - Flight 7C2216 pilot reports bird strike, declares emergency "Mayday Mayday Mayday" and "Bird strike, bird strike, go-around."

9:00 a.m. - Flight 7C2216 initiates a go-around and requests authorisation to land on runway 19, which is by approach from the opposite end of the airport's single runway.

9:01 a.m. - Air traffic control authorises landing on runway 19.

9:02 a.m. - Flight 7C2216 makes contact with the runway at about 1,200m (1,312 yard) point of the 2,800m (3,062 yard) runway.

9:02:34 a.m. - Air traffic control alerts "crash bell" at airport fire rescue unit.

Also read: South Korea orders air safety probe after the country's worst crash kills 179

9:02:55 a.m. - Airport fire rescue unit completes deploying fire rescue equipment.

9:03 a.m. - Flight 7C2216 crashes into an embankment after overshooting the runway.

9:10 a.m. - The Transport Ministry receives an accident report from airport authorities.

9:23 a.m. - One male rescued and transported to a temporary medical facility.

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9:38 a.m. - Muan airport is closed.

9:50 a.m. - Rescue completed of a second person from inside the tail section of the plane.

South Korean government orders probe

South Korea's acting president Choi Sang-mok on Monday ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operation system. Rescue workers are now trying to identify the bodies.

"Even before the final results are out, we ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families," he said.

"As soon as the accident recovery is conducted, the transport ministry is requested to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent recurrence of aircraft accidents," he added.

The transport ministry is also considering whether to conduct a special inspection of all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airliners.

Even though some claim that the cause of the accident was a bird strike, many experts have questioned why the plane appeared to be travelling so fast and why its landing gear did not appear to be down when it skidded down the runway.

With inputs from AP, AFP, Reuters