In South Korea, the probe into the cause of the fatal Jeju Air flight 2216 crash continues with investigators working to convert audio from the cockpit voice recorder into text.

"The transcript of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is expected to be completed today, and the flight data recorder (FDR) is in the process of being prepared for transport to the United States" for analysis, South Korea's land ministry said in a statement.

Cause of crash still unclear

The recordings may provide more indications as to what happened in the moments leading up to the crash which saw the Boeing 737-800 land on its belly and slam into a wall at Muan International Airport, killing all but two of the 181 people on board.

The precise cause of the crash is not yet known although investigators suspect a bird strike, faulty landing gear and the runway barrier as possible issues.

This week, investigators have been examining the crash site in South Korea's South Jeolla Province and on Friday managed to lift sections of the plane's fuselage.

One of the plane's two engines has been recovered and investigators plan to retrieve the other on Saturday

South Korean police said that Jeju Air's chief executive Kim E-bae has been barred  from leaving the country as the investigation continues.

kb/wd (AFP, Reuters)