The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered Indian airlines to conduct an inspection of emergency exits of all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft after a mid-flight incident involving Alaska Airlines in the U.S., where it lost a section of its cabin panel, forcing an emergency landing on Friday.
The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 turned back minutes into its flight from Portland in Oregon to Ontario in California after an outer section, including a window, fell off on Friday. There were 177 passengers and crew on board, and the aircraft returned safely to Portland.
“As a 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,” the regulator said in a press statement.
