Investigators have discovered bird feathers and blood in both engines of the Jeju Air (089590.KS) Boeing 737-800 jet that crashed in South Korea last month, claiming 179 lives, a source familiar with the investigation told Reuters on Friday.

The ill-fated flight, en route from Bangkok, Thailand, to Muan County in southwestern South Korea, attempted an emergency landing after striking birds mid-flight. Tragically, the plane belly-landed, overshot the runway, and burst into flames upon colliding with an embankment. Only two crew members seated at the tail section survived the worst aviation disaster in South Korean history.

Approximately four minutes before the crash, one of the pilots reported a bird strike and declared an emergency, South Korean authorities confirmed. The pilot then attempted a go-around and initiated a landing approach on the opposite end of the runway. Air traffic control had issued a warning about "bird activity" in the area just two minutes prior to the Mayday call.

Feathers were found on one of the engines recovered from the crash site, investigators stated earlier this month. Newly obtained video evidence corroborates the presence of a bird strike. However, South Korea's transport ministry has yet to confirm whether feathers and blood were found in both engines.

The investigation faces additional hurdles, as the aircraft's black boxes stopped recording critical data approximately four minutes before the crash. This poses a significant challenge to fully understanding the sequence of events leading to the disaster.

The tragedy has reignited concerns about bird strikes in aviation and prompted calls for enhanced measures to prevent similar incidents. Aviation experts emphasize the importance of improved bird hazard management near airports.

Further updates are expected as investigators work to piece together the final moments of the doomed flight.