▲ This file photo, taken Jan. 14, 2025, shows officials searching through the wreckage of a deadly Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport, about 290 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- Seven transport ministry officials have been referred to prosecutors for allegedly covering up the unfit status of a localizer blamed for the high number of casualties in the 2024 Jeju Air plane crash, police said Wednesday.

The deadly crash on Dec. 29, 2024, killed 179 passengers and crew members when the passenger jet made an emergency belly landing at Muan International Airport, about 290 kilometers south of Seoul, and hit a concrete mound housing the localizer, a navigation system that assists aircraft landings.

The seven officials were referred to the prosecution Tuesday for allegedly drafting press releases that said the localizer was installed in line with regulations despite knowing that it did not fully comply with the rules, according to a special police investigation team.

Following the crash, the localizer's placement inside the concrete mound had drawn questions about whether it contributed to the high death toll.

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