A Boeing Crashes – This Time in China

A China Eastern Airlines aircraft, a Boeing 737-800NG crashed in China's southern Guangxi region on Monday. All 132 people on board were believed to have perished. 

According to FlightRadar24, flight MU5735 was traveling from Kunming to Guangzhou, and radar tracking showed the aircraft descending steeply. 

China Eastern’s website, mobile app and some of their social media platforms were turned to black and white in a sign of mourning. 

The China Eastern crash comes at a bad time for Boeing, which are preparing for the re-entry of their 737 Max into commercial service in the country, a lucrative aviation market. 

The aircraft involved in Monday’s crash wasn’t a new-generation Boeing Max jet. The 737-800 NG is part of the Boeing single-aisle family which preceded the 737 Max. 

As of 2018, the NG had one of the best safety records among jetliners, with just eight fatal accidents out of more than 7,000 sold, according to data compiled by Boeing at the time. 

According to Aviation Safety Network’s website, this is the first fatal accident involving a 737-800 jet since January 08, 2020. The said Boeing aircraft had been flying for more than six years. 

The plane was cruising at 29,100 feet at 0620 GMT. After two minutes and 15 seconds, data showed it had dropped to 9,075 feet, Reuters reported.