Boeing Company claims 'full confidence' in safety of 737 MAX plane

Boeing Company, which is facing backlash after its plane of model 737 MAX crashed on Sunday in Ethiopia killing all 157 passengers on board, said that it has "full confidence" in the safety of the plane. "Safety is Boeing’s number one priority and we have full confidence in the safety of the 737 MAX," said Boeing in a statement on Tuesday.

In the wake of several countries' decision to ban or suspend the services of their respective Boeing planes, the company said: "We understand that regulatory agencies and customers have made decisions that they believe are most appropriate for their home markets." "We will continue to engage with them to ensure they have the information needed to have confidence in operating their fleets," said the firm.

Clarifying that no new guidance is coming, Boeing said: "The United States Federal Aviation Administration is not mandating any further action at this time, and based on the information currently available." On Sunday, all 157 people on board lost their lives when the Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, crashed a few minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport.

The black box has since been recovered as investigators scurry to establish any links between the latest crash and last year's Lion Air crash, which involved a Boeing jet of the same make. Earlier in the day, aviation authorities in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and Oman have also temporarily suspended Boeing 737 MAX services.

As many as 189 people were killed in October last year, when a Lion Air jet - a Boeing737 MAX 8 - crashed in the Java Sea, close to Jakarta, Indonesia. Most of the countries and carriers where the said jets are being used have taken precautions following the tragic crashes. South Korea and India launched a special inspection of the planes, while China, Ethiopian Airlines and Cayman Airways have grounded their Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet. 

(With inputs from agencies.)