S. Korea, Japan to probe deadly air crash

South Korea announced on Monday that it will seek Japan's assistance in a joint investigation into the deadly air crash that claimed 179 lives on Dec. 29.

The South Korean police statement follows an email received by an official at the South Korean Justice Ministry, allegedly from a Japanese lawyer, claiming responsibility for the crash of a Boeing aircraft belonging to Jeju Air.

“We plan to request cooperation from the Japanese police through Interpol and pursue international criminal justice cooperation through diplomatic channels,” the police said, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

The email also “contained threats to detonate high-powered bombs in several downtown areas of South Korea,” the police added.

Authorities suspect that the individual behind the email is the same person who has been sending similar threats via email and fax to major South Korean organizations since August 2003.

The Jeju Air flight crashed at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, killing all 179 people aboard. Only two flight attendants were rescued alive from the tail end of the plane.

A joint investigation team, consisting of South Korean authorities, US representatives, and Boeing experts, is working to determine the cause of the crash.

Reports indicate that all three of the plane's landing gears malfunctioned, and the pilot reportedly told the control tower that the plane had been struck by a bird.

The flight recorder, which was damaged in the crash, will be sent to the US for decryption.