Mexico Prohibits Boeing 737 MAX Flights In Wake Of Fatal Crash In Ethiopia - Regulator

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2019) Mexico's Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) said it had introduced a ban on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 flights in the wake of a fatal crash in Ethiopia.

The crash of the Ethiopian Airlines' MAX 8 plane took place on Sunday, claiming lives of 157 people. Moreover, in October, a Boeing 737 MAX crashed in Indonesia killing 189 people. The situation prompted dozens of countries to either ground 737 MAX series aircraft or close their airspace to the planes.

"The Mexican state has decided to suspend all the operations of the Boeing MAX 8 and MAX 9 airplanes on both domestic and international flights until the next notice," the DGAC said as quoted by the Financiero news outlet.

The agency added the authorities would continue following the technical recommendations from both the aircraft manufacturer and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The DGAC's statement follows the decision of Mexico's major airline Aeromexico to ground the Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet due to the crash in Ethiopia. However, the air carrier explained it was still confident in its Boeing 737 MAX planes.