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Flights Grounded Globally After Ethiopian Airlines Plane Crash Kills 157

A Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane chartered by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, killing all 157 people on board. The plane is the second 737 MAX 8 to crash since October, when a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia, killing 189 people. As a result, 22 airlines have grounded their 737 MAX 8 models. […]

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4 years ago

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  • A Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane chartered by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, killing all 157 people on board.
  • The plane is the second 737 MAX 8 to crash since October, when a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia, killing 189 people.
  • As a result, 22 airlines have grounded their 737 MAX 8 models.

Crash Outside of Addis Ababa

Boeing is facing massive backlash after a brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed outside of Addis Ababa on Sunday, killing all 157 people on board the plane.

Of the 157 people on board Flight 302, 149 were passengers, and eight were crew members. The victims came from over 35 different countries and included at least 22 employees of United Nations-affiliated agencies, who were flying to Nairobi to attend a conference.

The flight took off at 8:38 a.m local time and was chartered by Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s largest carriers. Shortly after take-off, the pilot of Flight 302 reportedly made a distress call and requested to return to the airport, which he was granted.

The last transmission from Flight 302 was reported at 8:41 am. Just six minutes after take-off, Flight 302 disappeared from the radar, which is the time it is believed to have crashed.

An eyewitness who saw the crash reported that the plane was “swerving and dipping” before it crashed about 40 miles outside of Addis Ababa.

Investigation

Ethiopian authorities announced they would investigate the crash with assistance from the U.S., Kenya, and others. Forensic experts from Israel also came to help with the investigation.

Members of the Red Cross could be seen sifting through debris, recovering passports, and other personal documents, among other things.

While the cause of the crash is still unknown, Ethiopian Airlines tweeted that the Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder (also known as the plane’s “black box”) had been recovered.


The black box records a number of inputs like the sounds in the cockpit. That also includes the pilot’s conversations. The recorders are specifically designed to aid investigations in aviation accidents, and the recovery of the black box is expected to provide more information about what caused the crash.

Boeing 737 MAX

If Boeing 737-MAX 8 sounds familiar, it’s because just 4 months ago another Boeing 737-MAX 8 plane known as Lion Air flight 610 crashed off the coast of Indonesia, killing 189 people.


The circumstances surrounding both flights are eerily similar.

The pilot of the Lion Air flight also reported issues within minutes of taking off from Tangerang airport in Jakarta. The pilot also asked air traffic control if they could return to the airport, right before the flight went off the radar.

It was believed the flight crashed within 12 minutes of taking off.

Boeing’s latest iteration of the 737 is the world’s bestselling airliner. More than 300 Boeing 737-MAX planes are currently in operation, and since 2017, more than 5,000 have been ordered worldwide.

That means that Boeing has 4,700 unfilled orders for 737s, which represents 80% of Boeing’s orders backlog. Essentially all 737 orders are for MAX versions.

Boeing released a statement following the crash, saying: “Boeing is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the passengers and crew on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a 737 MAX 8 airplane.”

Boeing also stated that they would send a technical team to the crash site to “provide technical assistance under the direction of the Ethiopia Accident Investigation Bureau and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.”

However, Boeing has also said that it does not have new plans for guidance. Charlie Miller, Boeing’s vice president of communications, said in a statement: “The investigation is in its early stages, but at this point, based on the information available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators.”

Unsurprisingly, Boeing has taken massive heat for the crash. Boeing’s stock dropped more than 12% on Monday morning, though it seemed to rebound some later in the day.

However, according to CNN, the drop puts Boeing on track for its worst day since the first day of trading following the 9/11 terror attacks.

Grounded Flights

To make matters even worse for Boeing, numerous countries have responded to the crash by grounding their planes.

As of Monday morning, 22 airlines around the world have grounded their 737 MAX 8 planes.

Notably, the Indonesian Transport Ministry announced today that they will temporarily ground of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes operated by Indonesian carriers.

This is especially significant because Indonesia had previously grounded all MAX 8’s in the country following the Lion Air crash, but after inspections, the planes were declared safe to fly.

China also announced it would ground all its 737 MAX 8’s, a move that many consider a big deal because China is one of Boeings biggest markets. Nearly a dozen Chinese airlines have ordered 180 planes from Boeing, and only 76 of them have been delivered.

About 85% of Boeing’s Chinese airline orders that have not been filled yet are for 737 MAX planes. Additionally, Boeing has predicted that China will become the world’s first trillion-dollar market for jets within the next few years.

Ethiopian Airlines for its part took more drastic measures, announcing it will take all of its 737 MAX planes out of service entirely. This also has broader implications for the African continent because Ethiopian Airlines is widely considered the best-managed airline in Africa.

Furthermore, the state-owned airline has ambitions of becoming the gateway to the continent and has been expanding its routes and infrastructure significantly.

However, not everyone is grounding their planes. No U.S. airlines have grounded any of their 737 MAX jets. Together, American Airlines, Alaska Air, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines own 65 737 MAX jets, which is only part of 548 jets they have ordered.

Even if they did ground those 65 jets, it would not significantly disrupt US airlines, because they have huge fleets of other planes.

Debate on Automation

Sunday’s crash has ignited the debate on automation and aviation.

The latest iteration of the 737 has been noted for its increased capabilities of flying autonomously, and while that might sound like it would increase safety, that is not always the case.

The Guardian’s, Gwyn Topham compares this to self-driving cars, writing: “It is notable that insurers considering driverless cars worry most about the period when highly autonomous vehicles will coexist with human drivers, the uncertain interface between human and artificial intelligence.”

A big part of the controversy around this comes from pilots around the world following the Lion Air crash. The pilots believed that small software modifications to the MAX 8’s autopilot had not been fully communicated to them, and they were not subject to new training to deal with that software.

Specifically, one new feature of the 737 MAX 8 is that the plane automatically corrects if it believes an angle it is flying at puts it at risk of stalling, a safety feature that as reportedly different from what 737 pilots were used to.

This feature, in particular, is a big deal because the black box from Lion Air flight 610 suggested the pilots of flight had been wrestling with this issue.

Boeing argued that if pilots followed procedures, there should not be a problem. However, past crashes have shown that the sensors which aircraft systems rely on can malfunction. They also show that many pilots who have become used to certain technology do not always know what to do when things go wrong.

Which begs the question of whether or not autonomous technology is worth the risk.

Ethiopian Airlines has said that the pilot of Flight 302 was extremely experienced, with 8,000 hours of flying time. However, aviation experts have criticized the lack of experience of his co-pilot, who only had 200 hours.

Whether or not this will hurt Boeing’s sales will remain to be seen. If anything, it seems like airlines that have requested 737 Max’s might not want those anymore. Since those compose over 80% of Boeing’s backlog, that could seriously harm the company.

See what others are saying: (New York Times) (CNN) (The Guardian)

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International

95-Year-Old Woman Dies After Police Tases Her in Nursing Home

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1 week ago

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May 24, 2023

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The officer involved was suspended with pay and charged with assault.

A 95-year-old Australian woman whom police tasered in a nursing home last week has reportedly died from her injuries.

Clare Nowland, who had dementia and required a walking frame to stand up and move, was living at the Yallambee Lodge in Cooma in southeastern Australia.

At about 4:15 a.m. on May 17, police and paramedics responded to a report of a woman standing outside her room with a steak knife.

They encountered Nowland, then reportedly tried to negotiate with her for several minutes, but she didn’t drop the knife.

The five-foot-two, 95-pound woman walked toward the two officers “at a slow pace,” police said at a news conference, so one of them tasered her.

She fell to the floor and reportedly suffered a fractured skull and a severe brain bleed, causing her to be hospitalized in critical condition.

Nowland passed away in a hospital surrounded by her family, the New South Wales police confirmed in a statement today.

After a week-long investigation, the police force also said that the senior constable involved would appear in court next week to face charges of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and common assault.

NSW police procedure states that tasers should not be used against elderly or disabled people absent exceptional circumstances.

Following the incident, community members, activists, and disability rights advocates expressed bewilderment and anger at what they called an unnecessary use of force, and some are now questioning why law enforcement took so long to prosecute the officer involved.

See what others are saying: (Reuters) (The New York Times) (CNN)

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International

U.K. Police Face Backlash After Arresting Anti-Monarchy Protesters

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3 weeks ago

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May 8, 2023

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that some of the arrests “raise questions” and “investigations are ongoing.”

The Public Order Act

A controversial protest crackdown law in the U.K. is facing criticism after dozens of anti-monarchy protesters were arrested during the coronation ceremony in London over the weekend.

The law, dubbed the “Public Order Act” was passed roughly a week ahead of the coronation for King Charles III. It gives police more power to restrict protesters and limits the tactics protesters can use in public spaces. It was condemned by human rights groups upon its passing, and is facing a new round of heat after 52 people were arrested over coronation protests on Saturday.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said protesters were arrested for public order offenses, breach of the peace and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. The group said it gave advance warning that its “tolerance for any disruption, whether through protest or otherwise, will be low and that we would deal robustly with anyone intent on undermining the celebration.”

It is currently unclear how many of those arrested were detained specifically for violating the Public Order Act, however, some of those arrested believe the new law was used against them.

“Make no mistake. There is no longer a right to peaceful protest in the UK,” Graham Smith, the CEO of anti-monarchy group Republic tweeted after getting arrested. “I have been told many times the monarch is there to defend our freedoms. Now our freedoms are under attack in his name.”

An Attempt to “Diminish” Protests

During a BBC Radio interview, Smith also said he believes the dozens of arrests were premeditated. 

“There was nothing that we did do that could possibly justify even being detained and arrested and held,” Smith claimed. 

“The whole thing was a deliberate attempt to disrupt and diminish our protest.”

Yasmine Ahmed, the U.K. Director of Human Rights Watch, also tweeted that the arrests were “disgraceful.”

“These are scenes you’d expect to see in Russia not the UK,” she wrote. 

When asked about the controversy, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told reporters officers should  do “what they think is best” in an apparent show of support for the Metropolitan Police. 

For his part, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is looking into the matter.

“Some of the arrests made by police as part of the Coronation event raise questions and whilst investigations are ongoing, I’ve sought urgent clarity from Met leaders on the action taken,” Khan tweeted.

See what others are saying: (The Guardian) (CNN) (The Washington Post)

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International

Foreign Nationals Make Mad Dash out of Sudan as Conflict Rages

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1 month ago

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April 24, 2023

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The conflict’s death toll has surpassed 420, with nearly 4,000 people wounded.

As the 10-day-long power struggle between rival generals tore Sudan apart, foreign governments with citizens in the country scrambled to evacuate them over the weekend.

On Sunday, U.S. special forces landed in the capital Khartoum and carried out nearly 100 American diplomats along with their families and some foreign nationals on helicopters.

An estimated 16,000 Americans, however, remain in the country and U.S. officials said in a statement that a broader evacuation mission would be too dangerous.

Christopher Maier, the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity warfare, said in a statement that the Pentagon may assist U.S. citizens find safe routes out of Sudan.

“[The Defense Department] is at present considering actions that may include use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to be able to observe routes and detect threats,” he said.

Germany and France also reportedly pulled around 700 people out of the country.

More countries followed with similar efforts, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Indonesia.

Yesterday, a convoy carrying some 700 United Nations, NGO, and embassy staff drove to Port Sudan, a popular extraction point now that the airport in Khartoum has closed due to fighting.

Reports of gunmen prowling the capital streets and robbing people trying to escape, as well as looters breaking into abandoned homes and shops, have persuaded most residents to stay indoors.

Heavy gunfire, airstrikes, and artillery shelling have terrorized the city despite several proposed ceasefires.

Over the weekend, the reported death toll topped 420, with nearly 4,000 people injured, though both numbers are likely to be undercounted.

See what others are saying: (The Guardian) (The New York Times) (The Washington Post)

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