Day after China plane crash, India puts Boeing 737 fleets on ‘enhanced surveillance’
"Flight safety is a serious business. We are closely studying the situation and in the interim, we are mounting enhanced surveillance on our Boeing 737 fleet," said DGCA chief Arun Kumar.
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New Delhi, Mar 22: Following the massive Chinese plane crash, India's aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the surveillance over the total fleet of Boeing 737 has been enhanced. "Flight safety is a serious business. We are closely studying the situation and in the interim, we are mounting enhanced surveillance on our 737 fleet," said DGCA chief Arun Kumar.
As reported earlier, a China Eastern Airlines plane with 132 people on board crashed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday, causing a forest fire. The search and rescue operations are underway.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the passenger plane crash in China's Guangxi on Monday. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, "Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the crash of the passenger flight MU5735 with 132 onboard in China's Guangxi. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the crash and their family members."
Also Read: In China, a plane carrying 132 crashes; casualties unknown
Although no casualties have been reported yet, it is believed that there is little chance of survival for those onboard, as flight data showed the plane lost its radar information two minutes after it suddenly descended from cruising altitude of around 8,869 meters, according to the state-owned media Global Times.
This is the first air crash in China since a fatal incident took place in Yichun, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province back in 2010. The Yichun crash killed 44 people.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts, according to Xinhua News Agency. Xi ordered the immediate launch of an emergency response, all-out search and rescue efforts and the proper settlement of the aftermath.