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"VAN" (Aleksey Vesyoliy - Europe Bureau) :: The EU said on Tuesday it was closing European airspace to the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after two fatal crashes within five months. The move came hours after France, Germany and other major countries closed their airspace to the aircraft. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a directive “to suspend all flight operations” of the Boeing 737 MAX models following the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday, which came months after a Lion Air plane crash in Indonesia. The EASA said it was "suspending all flight operations of all Boeing Model 737-8 MAX and 737-9 MAX airplanes in Europe". While noting that the "exact causes" of the 737 MAX aircraft operated by Lion Air were still being investigated, the EASA said that, "Since that action, another fatal accident occurred," referring to Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people. "At this early stage of the investigation, it cannot be excluded that similar causes may have contributed to both events," the agency said. "Based on all available information, EASA considers that further actions may be necessary to ensure the continued airworthiness of the two affected models." The EASA decision came shortly after France joined a growing number of countries to ground or close airspace to the new Boeing plane.
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