UAE joins FAA, Boeing probe on Ethiopian Airways B737 Max 8

ABU DHABI: The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), has announced that it has joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Boeing, to collect data aimed at solving the reason behind the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa two days ago, killing all 157 aboard.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the GCAA said that it is "working closely with the FAA and Boeing to gather more information about the Ethiopian Airways B737 Max 8 accident for taking appropriate safety actions."

The UAE aviation authority also contacted the Chinese NAA (CAAC), Cayman CAA and Ethiopian Airways to seek more information on the reason behind them grounding their respective fleets, the statement added.

"The GCAA is closely assessing the situation for taking any necessary safety action in a timely manner. The GCAA will not be reluctant to ground the UAE Registered Boeing 737 Max Fleet, if required, to ensure the highest standards of aviation safety is achieved. The GCAA will issue updates on this matter as required," the statement concluded.

WAM