Colombia, Chile Close Their Airspace for Boeing 737 MAX After Ethiopia Crash

SAN NICOLAS/MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – The Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia and Chile’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation said they had decided to prohibit the flights of the Boeing 737 MAX series of aircraft over the territories of the two states following a catastrophe in Ethiopia.

"As of today, B-737 MAX airplanes will not be able to operate on the national territory of cross the Colombian airspace", the Colombian agency said in a communique on Wednesday.

Chile’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced on the same that it would restrict Boeing 737 MAX 8 flights in the country’s airspace.

READ MORE: Boeing to Upgrade Software Across 737 MAX Fleet After Deadly Ethiopia Crash

Meanwhile, La Nacion news outlet reported, that Costa Rica’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation banned the flights of Boeing 737 MAX in its airspace, too.

On Sunday, an Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX crashed minutes after its takeoff from Addis Ababa. All 157 people on board the plane were killed. In late October 2018, another Boeing 737 MAX 8, operated by Indonesia's Lion Air, plunged into the Java Sea shortly after take-off, claiming the lives of 189 people. According to the preliminary investigation, the plane's sensors were showing incorrect speed and altitude readings.

The concerns over Boeing 737 MAX 8 safety prompted dozens of countries to either ground their fleet or close their airspace for the planes.

READ MORE: Safety of Boeing 737 MAX 8 Questioned Following Two Fatal Crashes

The US Federal Aviation Administration said in its emergency order on Wednesday it had found "some similarities" that could have led to two deadly air accidents involving Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

However, Boeing said in a statement on Wednesday that it had "full confidence" in the safety of its 737 MAX aircraft but supported the decision to temporarily ground the entire fleet of 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 series planes in the wake of the deadly crash in Ethiopia.

The US aviation agency said that the grounding would remain in effect pending further investigation.

READ MORE: India's Jet Airways Stops Flying Its Boeing 737 Max After Deadly Ethiopia Crash