Results of Ethiopian crash investigation needed before conclusions drawn

He said IATA acknowledged the decisions by authorities in China, Indonesia and Singapore to ground Boeing Co 737 MAX jets after the crash.

By REUTERS

MARCH 12, 2019 05:37

People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 10, 2019 (photo credit: TIKSA NEGERI / REUTERS) — People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 10, 2019

(photo credit: TIKSA NEGERI / REUTERS)

SINGAPORE, March 12 - International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Alexandre de Juniac said on Tuesday the results of an investigation into a deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash were needed before any conclusions were drawn on the incident.

"The most serious and vigorous attitude is to check and verify and establish facts," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Singapore. "On this issue our permanent position is to wait for the results of the investigation to draw any conclusion."

He said IATA acknowledged the decisions by authorities in China, Indonesia and Singapore to ground Boeing Co 737 MAX jets after the crash.

IATA represents around 260 airlines globally.