Published 18:07 IST, March 11th 2019
DGCA to provide Indian operators with additional safety instructions, following Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 4 Indian nationals and 153 others
Investigators have recovered one of two black box recorders on the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 that crashed just outside Addis Ababa Sunday, killing all 149 passengers, including four Indians and eight crew, Ethiopian state media reported.
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Update at 6:06 PM Union Minister Suresh Prabhu in a tweet said that he has directed the officials of DGCA to undertake safety assessment of Boeing 737-MAX that is being flown by domestic carriers
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is reviewing the matter regarding safety issues post-accident and is expected to issue additional safety instructions by Monday night or Tuesday in this regard for Indian operators, after the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 that crashed just outside Addis Ababa Sunday, killing all 157 passengers, including four Indians and eight crew.
The DGCA would seek information from plane maker Boeing and Indian carriers operating Boeing 737 MAX planes in India, according to the official. Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly Boeing 737 MAX planes.
Investigators have now recovered one of two black box recorders on the Airplane.
Among the deceased Indians in the plane crash, was an Environment Ministry consultant, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stated on March 10.
"I am sorry to know about the unfortunate crash of Ethiopian Airlines plane ET 302. We have lost four Indian nationals in the air crash. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Ethiopia to provide all help and assistance to the bereaved families," Swaraj tweeted.
She further stated that the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia has informed her that the deceased Indian nationals have been identified as Vaidya Pannagesh Bhaskar, Vaidya Hansin Annagesh, Nukavarapu Manisha and Shikha Garg.
Ethiopian Airlines said Monday it had grounded its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet after the crash.
"Following the tragic accident of ET 302... Ethiopian Airlines has decided to ground all B-737-8 MAX fleet effective yesterday, March 10, until further notice," the state-owned carrier said in a statement released on Twitter.
"Although we don't yet know the cause of the accident, we have to decide to ground the particular fleet as an extra safety precaution," said the airline, Africa's largest.
The Nairobi-bound Flight ET 302 came down just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa. It ploughed into a field near Tulu Fara village outside the town of Bishoftu, some 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of the Ethiopian capital.
China also grounded its fleet of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in the aftermath.
Among the dead were tourists, business travellers, and UN staff headed for a conference.
(With AP inputs)
17:02 IST, March 11th 2019