Investigations into cause of South Korean plane crash underway

South Korea on Monday started the investigation into the cause of the country's deadliest air disaster in decades, as the nation mourns the victims of Sunday's airplane crash.

A total of 179 people were killed from a passenger airplane that crashed Sunday while landing at Muan International Airport in the southwest of South Korea.

According to the fire authorities, the bodies of all victims were retrieved from the scene at 20:38 local time Sunday, with only two crew members being rescued.

The accident marks the worst air disaster in the country in decades after 66 people were killed in a plane crash in 1993.

On Monday morning, investigators arrived at the crash site to determine the cause of the disaster.

The direct cause of the crash was the malfunction of the landing gear, but the specific reason for this failure remains under further investigation. Eyewitnesses and reports from the airport tower suggest that the aircraft may have suffered a bird strike at the time of the accident, but the link between the bird strike and the landing gear failure is still unclear.

In the aftermath, South Korean authorities are working to identify the victims, while various government agencies are providing support to the families of the deceased.

As the country entered a week-long period of national mourning, memorial sites for the victims were set up in major cities across the nation, and many New Year's Eve celebrations were canceled.

On Sunday, South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok said that the government would find the cause of the accident as soon as possible, and provide an explanation to the families of the victims and to the South Korean people.

Investigations into cause of South Korean plane crash underway

Investigations into cause of South Korean plane crash underway

Investigations into cause of South Korean plane crash underway

Investigations into cause of South Korean plane crash underway

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Sunday that Tehran would view the United States and Israel's military bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" should Washington take military action against Iran.

At a parliamentary session convened to review an emergency proposal on assembly regulations, Qalibaf emphasized that, at this highly sensitive juncture, Iran must accurately and thoroughly identify the schemes of its adversaries.

Qalibaf said that Iran is currently confronting Israel and the United States simultaneously on four fronts: economic, cognitive, military, and counterterrorism. Of them, the economic warfare and the cognitive and psychological warfare began many years ago and have persisted to this day, growing increasingly complex and intense in recent years.

The remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran, taking advantage of its nationwide unrest.

Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship. Iranian authorities have acknowledged the demonstrations and voiced willingness to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism.

Amid the ongoing protests, deadly clashes have been reported lately between police and what the government described as "rioters." However, no official death toll has been released.

Also on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will address the country's economic situation and political environment in a televised interview later that day.

Iran swears to counterattack if attacked