Feinstein Calls For Grounding Of Boeing 737 Max 8 Jet After Deadly Crashes
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Sen. Dianne Feinstein has called on the Federal Aviation Administration to ground all Boeing 737 Max 8 jets, as several countries have grounded the aircraft in the wake of two deadly crashes involving the planes.
"Until the cause of the crash is known and it's clear that similar risks aren't present in the domestic fleet, I believe all Boeing 737 Max 8 series aircraft operating in the United States should be temporarily grounded," Feinstein wrote in a letter to FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Ewell.
"Continuing to fly an airplane that has been involved in two fatal crashes within just six months presents an unnecessary, potentially life-threatening risk to the traveling public," the senator went on to say.
On Sunday, a Max 8 aircraft crashed near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board. Eight Americans were killed, and three of the passengers had ties to Northern California.
Last October, another Max 8 plunged into the Java Sea off Indonesia, killing 146 people.
In response to the Ethiopia crash, several countries and airlines have grounded Max 8 jets, including China, Singapore and Indonesia. On Tuesday, the European Union and the United Kingdom have grounded the planes.
Several U.S. airlines, including American and Southwest, are continuing to fly Max 8s.