Boeing confirms it will deploy software upgrade to 737 MAX fleet

Boeing Co confirmed late on Monday it will deploy a software upgrade to the 737 MAX 8, a few hours after the Federal Aviation Administration said it would mandate "design changes" in the aircraft by April. Boeing did not reference Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash in connection to the software upgrade.

The statement did express the company's condolences to the relatives of the 157 people who died, however. The company said in the aftermath of October's Lion Air Flight crash it has for several months "been developing a flight control software enhancement for the 737 MAX, designed to make an already safe aircraft even safer." The software upgrade "will be deployed across the 737 MAX fleet in the coming weeks," it said.

(With inputs from agencies.)