Airlines keep flying Boeing model in crash

The plane in the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 was a 737 Max 8

More than 20 airlines worldwide continued to fly the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft Monday after some carriers, including those in China, grounded the airplane following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight shortly after takeoff in Africa.

Cause of the crash that killed all 157 passengers and crew was not known. The jet’s flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder have both been recovered, Ethiopian Airlines said. The Associated Press reported that an airline official, however, said one of the recorders was partially damaged and “we will see what we can retrieve from it”.

Investigators from the US and Boeing traveled to Addis Ababa to determine what went wrong. The AP also reported that a witness to the crash said that smoke was coming from the rear of the plane before it hit the ground.

Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde GebreMariam told reporters at a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, that the pilot of flight ET 302 that crashed Sunday morning had reported technical difficulties and asked for clearance to return to Addis Ababa. He was given clearance to turn back, according to GebreMariam.

In the United States, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, the biggest buyer of the aircraft in the US, said it would continue flying the jet. Air Canada said the aircraft meets all safety standards and will continue to make regularly scheduled flights.

The airline said the flight had passengers from at least 30 countries. The dead included at least 32 Kenyans; 18 Canadians; nine each from Ethiopia and France; eight each from the United States, China, and Italy; and seven from Britain, according to the airline, officials and news accounts. At least 22 United Nations staff were on board.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences to the leaders of Ethiopia and Kenya and said he was shocked and saddened by the crash. On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, Xi said he mourned for the dead and expressed heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims.

Boeing expressed confidence in the aircraft and grief for the crash victims.

“The investigation is in its early stages, but at this point, based on the information available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators,” said Charlie Miller, Boeing’s vice-president of communications. “We are taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of this accident, working closely with the investigating team and all regulatory authorities involved. Boeing is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the passengers and crew.”

Boeing’s stock opened Monday at $371.27 a share on the New York Stock Exchange and closed at $400.01, down $22.53, or 5.33 percent from Friday’s close of $422.53. The drop in Boeing’s stock wiped almost $13 billion off the company’s market value.

The pilot of the Ethiopian Airlines flight had about 8,000 hours of flying time while the co-pilot had about 200 hours, according to the airline, which said the senior Ethiopian pilot had an “excellent flying record’’. It was not known who was at the controls when the plane took off.

The 737 Max 8, the newest version of Boeing’s single-aisle airliner, was first introduced in 1967 and has become the world’s most common passenger jet and Boeing’s best-selling aircraft.

Last October, a Lion Air flight using Boeing’s Max 8 plane crashed in Indonesia shortly after takeoff. All 157 people on board were killed. The Lion Air pilot and co-pilot each had more than 5,000 hours of flying time. There is no apparent link between the two crashes, but investigators said the similarities demand a careful investigation.

China’s Civil Aviation Administration, citing its “zero tolerance” for potential safety hazards, ordered all domestic Boeing 737 Max 8 jets grounded. Chinese airlines have ordered about 104 of the aircraft and have taken delivery of about 70.

The AP contributed to this story.