Following the suspension of all 737 MAX 8 flights in the EU, non-commercial aviation media outlet AIRLIVE reported Tuesday that among other flights, the two SmartWings Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that had been diverted from Prague airport became the last two planes that have left the EU airspace.
LIVE SmartWings #QS1201 to Prague is turning around — no Boeing 737 MAX are flying over Europe anymore https://t.co/ZzF1c9qXUYpic.twitter.com/VzsdX1AlS1
— AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) 12 марта 2019 г.
On Sunday, a Nairobi-bound 737 MAX 8, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. All 157 people from over 30 countries aboard the flight were killed. Aviation authorities and airlines in several countries, including the European Union, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia, have suspended all operation of the 737 MAX 8 in their airspace following the incident.
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The Ethiopian Airlines crash is the second disaster involving the jet in less than six months. In October, a new Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight went down over the Java Sea, killing over 180 people.
READ MORE: FAA Says Boeing 737 MAX 'Airworthy' Despite 2nd Fatal Crash in Nearly 5 Months
Meanwhile, Boeing said in a press release on Monday that in light of the recent deadly crash, the whole 737 MAX fleet would adopt new, enhanced software in the coming weeks. In a separate statement on Monday, the company's Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said that Boeing is confident that its 737 MAX airplanes are safe. Muilenberg also cautioned his employees to avoid speculation as the investigation into the crash unfolds.
READ MORE: Ethiopian Airlines Boeing's Black Box Recovered at Crash Site — Reports