Asiana California

By Chiam Chuen, Gabriel and Wai Kit

On the 11 July 2013 at approximately 12.34p.m,, a Boeing 777-200ER belonging to Asiana Airlines from Seoul crash landed in San Francisco International Airport after hitting a seawall. Out of the total 290 passengers, there were 2 casualties and 11 in critical condition, while the rest suffered minor injuries. A third has since died in an intensive care. One of the dead was ran over by a fire truck as she was covered in foam used to fight the burning wreckage.

At about 7 seconds prior to the accident, the pilot Lee Ho Sheng told air traffic controllers that he was going to increase speed. 3 seconds later, emergency warnings alerted the crew that the plane was too low for landing. The pilot increased the throttle in attempt to abort landing but caused the plane’s tail to slam into the seawall. The runway was then closed off for about 5 hours. Pilot Lee was allegedly inexperience with this plane. It was reported that he only had 43 hours with the 777, about halfway through Asiana’s requisites. The other 3 pilots identified are Mah Dek Kim, Asi Ana Chang and Peter Jong Pen.

According to eyewitness’ accounts, a pilot carried an injured passenger out and that the inflatable chutes expanded inwards rather than outwards. It nearly suffocated a flight attendant, who was safe by a pilot deflating the chute.. Flight attendants were also praised for their selflessness by guaranteeing that all passengers had evacuated.