Yoon Young-doo met them at Incheon Airport as they traveled from Shanghai to the US. He offered an apology again at a later news conference. 

"I will make a sincere apology and visit the hospitals where our passengers are being treated. I will be there and show repentance on behalf of Asiana Airlines." 

South Korea's President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday offered her condolences to the families of the victims and promised inquiry. 

"The cause of this accident should be clarified in detail and I want everyone to do their best to ensure that there will be no more safety problems in the future."

More than 180 other people were injured when the Boing 777 crashed as it came in to land on Saturday. The last person to leave the wreckage was Asiana flight attendant Lee Yoon-Hye, hailed a heroin for helping passengers to escape. 

"My brain was very clear and I planned what I had to do immediately. Actually I wasn't thinking but acting. As soon as I heard emergency escape, I started the evacuation. When the fire started, I was just thinking how to put it out, not that it is too dangerous or what I'm going to do." 

US investigators say the plane was flying dangerously slowly and a stall warning  had sounded seconds before the crash. The four pilots on board had been questioned about their actions.