A preliminary report on the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month killing 157 people, says the aircraft persistently nosedived despite pilots following Boeing's emergency procedures, the carrier said on Thursday.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Ethiopian Airlines said the investigation into the crash of the Boeing 787 Max 8 could continue for up to a year, as more authorities, including the UAE, joined the FAA investigation board.
The report piles pressure on Boeing whose most popular aircraft is grounded worldwide, facing scrutiny over optional safety features and their relationship with the US regulator.
Ethiopian authorities stopped short of attributing blame for the crash but suggested Boeing reviews the software suspected of causing the incident.
"Despite their hard work and full compliance with the emergency procedures, it was very unfortunate that they could not recover the airplane from the persistence of nosediving," the airline said.
The team investigating the crash is continuing to grow, drawing in expertise from across the world.
On Thursday, Ismael al Blooshi, assistant director, safety affairs at the General Civil Aviation Authority – the UAE's aviation authority – said they were joining the FAA's investigation board.
The preliminary report has not yet been made public, but will be published by Friday, the chief investigator said.
On March 10 Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed into arid farmland near Addis Ababa, killing 149 passengers and eight crew from 33 countries. Many of them were travelling to a UN conference in Nairobi.
Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges said it was too soon to say if there was a problem with the aircraft, but urged Boeing to review its advice.
"Since repetitive uncommanded aircraft nose down conditions are noticed ... it is recommended that the aircraft control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer," Ms Dagmawit said.
The preliminary report appears to keep an open mind about the cause of the crash, Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, told The National.
"It seems evident that the report is keen to avoid direct finger-pointing at a singularity and instead keep the focus on a broader approach," he said.
"This allows the ongoing investigation to explore any other factors in the crash, as well as the key focus of the MCAS system," he said, referring to the anti-stall feature.
The 737 Max 8 – Boeing's most successful model – faced intense scrutiny following the crash, leading to a worldwide grounding of the plane, given the similarities between two deadly crashes using the same model.
Last year, a 737 Max 8 operated by Indonesia's Lion Air crashed, killing 189 people. The preliminary report into the Lion Air crash found that an anti-stall feature activated when it was not supposed to.
Both pilots in the Ethiopian Airlines crash underwent additional training following the Lion Air incident.
Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam said: "We are very proud of our pilots' compliances to follow the emergency procedures and high level of professional performances in such extremely difficult situations."
Boeing and the FAA both said they continue to study the reports. Boeing has since stopped deliveries of the 737 Max, and has mandated a previously optional cockpit warning light, but maintains their new fuel-efficient aircraft is safe. The FAA launched a review of the 737 Max.
The investigation into the Boeing crash is expected to take up to a year, but the worldwide grounding of planes is a costly exercise for both the manufacturer and the airlines.
"The longer the grounding goes on, the bigger the financial fallout," Mr Ahmad said.
The US said the grounding could last for weeks and there are no signs of a 737 Max taking to the skies any time soon, taking up precious parking spaces.
"Boeing is still maintaining current production rates, this may have to be tempered back if the eventual green light to resume flights slides into June," Mr Ahmad said.
But a fix to the Boeing 737 Max will have to win the confidence of not only the FAA, which regulates the plane, but also of the local aviation authorities who have grounded the aircraft model and banned it flying over their airspace, he said.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A general guide to how active you are:
Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active
10,000 - 12,500 steps - active
12,500 - highly active
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Fixture and table
UAE finals day: Friday, April 13 at Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
- 3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
- 6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership – final standings
- Dubai Exiles
- Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Jebel Ali Dragons
- Dubai Hurricanes
- Dubai Sports City Eagles
- Abu Dhabi Saracens
