China and Indonesia ordered immediate suspensions of Boeing 737 MAX 8 operations following the Ethiopian Airlines crash that claimed 157 lives, marking the second such disaster involving the model in less than a year.
The Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, crashed minutes after takeoff on March 10, 2019, with all 157 passengers and crew killed. The incident occurred months after a Lion Air 737 MAX 8 crashed off Indonesia's coast in October 2018, killing 189 people.
Witnesses described the Ethiopian plane as low to the ground, trailing smoke and debris before impact. Malka Galato, a farmer whose land was struck, reported seeing papers falling from the aircraft as it veered sharply. Nearby farmer Tamirat Abera described white smoke and objects like clothing trailing the plane before it crashed.
Investigators recovered the black box from the crash site, which contains both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. The discovery came as Boeing's stock plummeted 10% following concerns over potential design flaws in the 737 MAX 8, a fuel-efficient model introduced in 2017.
Global Safety Measures ¶
Over 5,000 737 MAX 8s are on order globally, with 350 delivered by early 2019. China's Civil Aviation Administration directed airlines to ground the model by 6 p.m. local time, while Indonesia and other nations initiated safety reviews. Ethiopian Airlines also suspended its four remaining 737 MAX 8s.
The crash site revealed extensive damage, with twisted metal, engine parts, and personal belongings scattered across farmland. Among the victims were 22 United Nations staff members, including aid workers, academics, and diplomats.
International Response ¶
A moment of silence was observed at a Nairobi summit honoring U.N. personnel killed in the crash. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the deceased as global service professionals. Ethiopian Airlines confirmed the pilot had 8,000 flight hours and the aircraft had flown 1,200 hours since its November 2018 delivery.
Flight tracking data showed the plane experienced unstable vertical speed after takeoff from Addis Ababa, a high-altitude airport. The aircraft climbed 1,000 feet before rapidly descending and losing contact, according to Flightradar24.
