The black boxes from the Jeju Air plane that crashed in South Korea are the center of focus as investigators work to determine the cause of the deadliest aviation disaster of 2024.

The bereaved families visited the site on Wednesday for the first time since the crash for a traditional memorial service. They were bused to the site, where they took turns laying white flowers, knelt down and bowed deeply before a memorial table where food was placed. The food included “ddeokguk,” a Korean rice cake soup eaten on New Year's Day.

The investigation into the crash of a South Korea passenger jet gathered pace on Wednesday as bereaved families began to prepare funerals after authorities finished formally identifying the 179 victims of the country's worst air disaster.