The European Union and India have joined have banned the Boeing 737 Max from flying over their airspace to ensure passenger safety.

This came after last Sunday’s ill-fated crash, that killed 157 people on board.

Ethiopian Airlines though shaken by this crash is widely recognised as Africa’s most successful airline.

It had promptly ordered the rest its fleet of the jets to be grounded immediately after the incident.

BBC reports that India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation announced its decision to ground the Boeing 737-Max planes “immediately”.

It said, “These planes will be grounded until appropriate modifications and safety measures are undertaken to ensure their safe operations.”

EU moves swiftly

Also, the EU Aviation Safety Agency which said it is suspending the aircraft “as a precautionary measure”.

Countries like Ethiopia, Singapore, China, France, Ireland, Germany, Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia had on Monday suspended the 737 Max.

On Tuesday, the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it will join other countries who have banned the plane.

The airline had earlier confirmed after the crash that the 737 MAX 8, the latest version of Boeing’s workhorse narrow-body jets, was introduced into service in 2017.

Not the first

In October 2018, a 737 MAX 8 operated by Indonesian budget carrier, Lion Air, crashed 13 minutes after take-off from Jakarta on a domestic flight, killing all 189 passengers and crew on board

The U.S. officials say the aircraft is still safe to fly.

However, the US Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union is now calling for the Federal Aviation Administration “to temporarily ground the 737 Max fleet in the US out of an abundance of caution”.

No show in Nigeria

Nigerian authorities have said no airline currently uses the 737 Max in Nigeria.

However, the Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, says it has no immediate plan to cancel its order for ten of the aircraft’s model for its fleet.

Other countries and airlines that have announced a ban on the 737 Max so far are: Argentina (Aerolíneas Argentinas), Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cayman Islands (Cayman Airways), EASA member states, Italy, Mexico (Aeromexico), Mongolia (MIAT Mongolian Airlines), Morocco (Royal Air Maroc), Netherlands Norway (Norwegian), Oman, Poland, South Africa (Comair), South Korea (Eastar Jet) and Turkey.