South Korea’s Ministry of Transport announced that a preliminary report on last month’s Jeju Air (089590.KS) plane crash, which resulted in 179 fatalities, will be released by Monday. The December 29 accident, involving flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan International Airport, is the deadliest aviation disaster in the country’s history.

Investigators are examining whether a bird strike contributed to the crash, which occurred during a go-around maneuver. According to a ministry statement, the pilots reported birds flying near the Boeing 737-800 at 8:58 a.m. and issued a mayday shortly after, citing a bird strike. Surveillance footage confirmed the aircraft's contact with birds, and evidence of bird remains, including feathers and blood, was found in both engines.

The plane crashed at 9:02 a.m., colliding with a concrete embankment and bursting into flames. All passengers aboard were killed except for two crew members seated in the tail section. The ministry is also investigating the role of the embankment, which supported navigation antennas known as "localizers." Experts have suggested its presence may have worsened the crash's impact, and plans to remove it are underway.

South Korea has been collaborating with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety to analyze the incident. Data from the flight’s black boxes, including cockpit voice recordings, is still under review, though the recordings stopped four minutes before the crash.

The findings will be shared with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as U.S., French, and Thai authorities. A final analysis, including a detailed review of the flight data, is expected to take several months.