ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA \u2014\u00a0Ethiopian Airlines, one of the largest carriers in Africa, has said it will resume flying Boeing 737 MAX planes beginning Tuesday, nearly three years after a deadly crash of the same plane.<\/p>\n
In a statement to the French news agency AFP, the airline said the decision came after a thorough certification process by regulators across the globe, including the United States, Europe and Asia, as well as Ethiopia.<\/p>\n
All 737 MAX planes were grounded worldwide in March 2019, after the aircraft crashed near the Ethiopian town of Bishoftu, killing all 157 people on board.<\/p>\n
The previous October, the crash of a 737 MAX in Indonesia killed 189.<\/p>\n
Boeing has since made design changes to the aircraft, and the planes have returned to service in most countries. Indonesia recertified the plane in December.<\/p>\n
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewelde Gebremariam said the company will be among the last airlines to resume flying the MAX model.<\/p>\n
Tewelde said the airline has taken more than 20 months to monitor and recertify the plane.<\/p>\n
The airline said its pilots and technicians have been fully trained regarding the plane\u2019s modifications.<\/p>\n
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Source: Voice of America<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"