Italy bans Boeing plane model after accident that caused 157 deaths
Italy announced on Tuesday that it has closed its airspace to operations with the Boeing 737 Max 8.
The same decision was taken this Tuesday by other European Union countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Ireland, following the crash, last Sunday (10), of an Ethiopan Airlines plane of this model, which caused 157 deaths – including , 8 were Italian.
Italy's National Civil Aviation Authority (Enac) claimed caution in closing the country's airspace. “Given the lack of reliable information on the dynamics of the Ethiopian Airlines accident (…) and the previous accident in October in Indonesia, Enac orders as a precaution the closure of Italian airspace for all flights made with this type of devices”, a statement said.
“Safety is paramount. Until all doubts have been dispelled, I have ordered that German airspace be closed to Boeing 737 Max from now on”, announced German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer.
“Given the circumstances of the accident in Ethiopia, the French authorities have taken the decision, as a precautionary measure, to prohibit any commercial flight carried out on a Boeing 737 MAX to, from or over French territory,” stated the General Directorate of Civil Aviation ( DGCA) in a statement.
The Irish Air Authority also announced its decision not to authorize the operation of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.
“The Irish Civil Aviation Authority (IAA) has decided to temporarily suspend operations of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft entering or leaving Irish airspace, in light of two fatal accidents involving this aircraft in recent months,” a statement said.
The decision was also taken by South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Oman and Malaysia.
With information from AFP
