INDIA’S civil aviation regulator has put the Boeing 737 fleets of the country’s carriers on "enhanced surveillance" after a China Eastern Airlines aircraft of the same make crashed on Monday (21).
Three Indian carriers - SpiceJet, Vistara and Air India Express - have Boeing 737 aircraft in their fleets.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar said flight safety is a “serious business” and “we are closely studying the situation. In the interim, we are focusing on enhanced surveillance of our 737 fleets."
A Boeing 737-800 aircraft of China Eastern Airlines, which was on its way from Kunming to Guangzhou, crashed in Tengxian county in the city of Wuzhou.
There were no foreigners among the 132 people - 123 passengers and nine crew members - onboard the Chinese passenger plane, official media reported.
China Eastern Airlines - one of China's three major air carriers - has grounded all of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft after the crash.
Boeing 737 Max aircraft is an advanced version of Boeing 737-800 and both belong to the 737 series. The US-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing did not respond to a request for a statement on the matter.
Two Boeing 737 Max aircraft were involved in accidents between October 2018 and March 2019, killing a total of 346 people. Following these two accidents, the DGCA had banned Boeing 737 Max planes in India in March 2019.
After Boeing made software rectifications to the satisfaction of the DGCA, the ban on the aircraft's commercial operations was lifted after 27 months in August last year.
SpiceJet, Vistara and Air India Express did not respond to requests for a statement on the DGCA's decision.
Prime minister Narendra Modi and aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed sadness over the plane crash.
(PTI)
Boeing 737 planes of Indian carriers on ‘enhanced surveillance’
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)