DGCA directs airlines to inspect emergency exits in all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft (Ld)

New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) As US-based Alaska Airlines grounded all its Boeing 737-9 aircraft after one of the Max aircraft had to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, with a window and a part of the fuselage missing, aviation watchdog DGCA has directed the Indian airline operators to carry out a one-time inspection of the emergency exits immediately on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft currently operating as part of their fleet.

Vikram Dev Dutt, the Director of DGCA, stated that following the Alaska Airlines incident involving the Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft, there has been no communication or guidance from Boeing thus far.

Importantly, none of the Indian air operators currently have Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft as part of their fleet.

"However, as an abundant precautionary measure, DGCA has directed all the Indian air operators to carry out a one-time inspection of the emergency exits immediately on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft currently operating as part of their fleet," said Dutt.

The Boeing 737-9 plane carrying with 171 guests and six crew members and bound for Ontario, California, took off at 4.52 p.m. on Friday evening and returned to Portland 20 minutes later.

According to photos sent in by a passenger, a large part of the airplane's fuselage and a window was missing. The Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 returned safely to Portland International Airport after "the crew reported a pressurisation issue", as per reports.

Both the Portland International Airport and Alaska Airlines had confirmed the emergency landing.

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