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Boeing suspend 737 MAX deliveries, but keeps producing them — spokesman

It is yet unclear for how long the deliveries will be suspended

NEW YORK, March 15. /TASS/. US aircraft industry company Boeing continues to manufacture aircraft of the 737 MAX model despite the decision to suspend their deliveries, a company spokesperson has told TASS by phone.

"I am confirming that we are pausing delivery of 737 Max due to the temporary grounding," the official said.

When asked for how long will the deliveries be suspended, he replied: "Don't know yet. We are continuing to produce the airplane, build it."

"We are assessing the situation due to some other contingencies," the spokesperson added.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it prohibited all flights of Boeing 737 MAX in the US airspace following the recent crash of this type of aircraft.

On March 10, Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max 8 had taken off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was on route to Nairobi, Kenya, when it crashed around 60 km to the south-west of the Ethiopian capital. The crash killed 157 people from 35 countries, including three Russian citizens. In October 2018, that same jet model belonging to Indonesian Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta Airport, killing all 189 people onboard.

Soon after the crash in Ethiopia, many countries, including Russia, the United States and EU countries, suspended Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 flights amid safety concerns.

Boeing earlier assured that this type of aircraft was safe.