Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday, 12 March, has taken the decision to ground the Boeing 737-MAX planes immediately. These planes will be grounded till appropriate modifications and safety measures are undertaken to ensure their safe operations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Tuesday, 12 March.
In a tweet, the ministry said, "As always, passenger safety remains our top priority. We continue to consult closely with regulators around the world, airlines, and aircraft manufacturers to ensure passenger safety."
The European Union agency also closed European airspace to Boeing 737-MAX 8 aircraft, according to AFP.
This comes a day after aviation regulator on Monday, 11 March, issued additional safety instructions to SpiceJet and Jet Airways for operating Boeing 737 MAX planes.
According to the DGCA directions, the pilot commanding the aircraft should have at least 1,000 hours of flying experience.
A day after a 737 MAX aircraft crashed in Ethiopia, killing 157 people, DGCA said interim safety measures are being taken with inputs available at this stage.
“The DGCA will continue to closely monitor the situation and may impose/take any other operational/maintenance measures/restrictions based on the information received from accident investigation agency/FAA/Boeing,” the regulator said in a statement.
(With inputs from AFP)
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