A cruise company which went ahead with a river fireworks show in Seoul while the country was in mourning for those killed in the recent Jeju Air disaster has been banned from operating for six months by city authorities.
Hyundai Ocean Leisure will not be allowed to operate cruise ships on the Han River until June after going ahead with a ‘Fireworks Cruise’, part of the 2024 Han River Festival.
Seoul city authorities said that it requested the cancellation of the cruise to respect the victims of the 29 December Jeju Air crash in which 179 of 181 passengers died after the plane lost control on landing at Muan Airport in the country's south.
Jeju Air’s Boeing 737-800 plane, arriving from Bangkok, hit a concrete wall located beyond the end of the runway, bursting into a fireball.
The cruise company initially said it had gone ahead with the fireworks show because the request to cancel came too late for staff to contact pre-booked reservations.
The company later apologised for holding the event “during a time when everyone is mourning”.
Aviation authorities are searching for answers to the cause of the crash with a bird strike among the possible causes being investigated.
On its website, Jeju Air offers condolences to the victims and their families, saying, “We are committed to providing every possible support to those affected and fully cooperating with the authorities in their investigation.
“The safety and well-being of our passengers and staff are always our top priority, and we are reviewing all procedures to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.”