Mexican airline Aeromexico said on Monday it had suspended the operation of its six Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes until it had clear information about the investigation into the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet on Sunday.
“Flights operated with these planes will be covered by the rest of the fleet,” Aeromexico said in a statement.
The Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed killing 157 people was making a strange rattling noise and trailed smoke and debris as it swerved above a field of panicked cows before hitting earth, according to witnesses.
Flight 302 took off from the Ethiopian capital on Sunday morning bound for Nairobi with passengers from more than 30 countries. All on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 died.
The pilot had requested permission to return, saying he was having problems – but it was too late.
Half a dozen witnesses interviewed by Reuters in the farmland where the plane came down reported smoke billowing out behind, while four of them also described a loud sound.
“It was a loud rattling sound. Like straining and shaking metal,” said Turn Buzuna, a 26-year-old housewife and farmer who lives about 300 meters (328 yards) from the crash site.
“Everyone says they have never heard that kind of sound from a plane and they are under a flight path,” she added.
Malka Galato, 47, a barley and wheat farmer whose field the plane crashed in, also described smoke and sparks from the back. “The plane was very close to the ground and it made a turn… Cows that were grazing in the fields ran in panic,” he said.
Tamirat Abera, 25, was walking past the field at the time. He said the plane turned sharply, trailing white smoke and items like clothes and papers, then crashed about 300 meters away.
“It tried to climb but it failed and went down nose first,” he said. “There was fire and white smoke which then turned black.”
Trending News on PVDN
The Connection Between the Jalisco Cartel, Missing Employees at Call Center, 45 Bags of Body Parts, Timeshare Scams, and American Tourists PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - More than a week after the initial disappearance of eight young workers at a call center in Zapopan, Jalisco, the case continues to be shrouded in mystery, leaving families distraught and demanding answers. The Jalisco Prosecutor's Office has made little progress in the investigation, according to the relatives of the missing…
Shocking Case of Animal Abuse in Mexico: Man Throws Dog into Boiling Fry Oil PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A disturbing incident of animal abuse has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, as a man allegedly threw a dog into a pot of boiling oil, resulting in the animal's tragic death. Authorities have detained the suspect for the assault on the dog and have issued an additional arrest warrant on charges of…
Thrill-Seeking Tourist in Puerto Vallarta is Rescued After Parachute Accident on Los Muertos Beach Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - A woman was rescued after her parachute got entangled in a palm tree on the popular Los Muertos Beach in an incident that highlighted a growing concern over the lack of regulation in tourist activities in Puerto Vallarta. The incident unfolded during one of the city's burgeoning recreational pursuits frequently indulged…
Popocatépetl Volcano Activity Continues; June 5, 2023 Monitoring Update PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the latest updates from the monitoring systems of the Popocatépetl volcano, 108 exhalations were recorded in the last 24 hours, accompanied by water vapor, volcanic gases, and minor quantities of ash. The monitoring systems also registered 51 minutes of tremor segments, ranging from low to moderate amplitude and high frequency.…
It’s Getting a Little More Expensive for Americans Living in Mexico, Peso Surges to Over Seven-Year High Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - The Mexican peso reached its highest level in more than seven years on Friday, June 2, driven by positive employment data from the United States. The country's stock market also experienced a notable rise as fears of a recession in the US diminished. At the close of trading, the peso was…
Buried Body Found Near Home of Man Who Went Missing at Puerto Vallarta Pride PUERTO VALLARTA - This Monday morning, a gruesome discovery of a half-buried body was made on a property located adjacent to the home of Ruben Michel, a young man who has been missing since May 25. Michel, a deaf-mute member of the LGBTQ+ community, vanished following the Vallarta Pride event. Municipal Police were alerted to…
Volaris Maintains Regular Operations in Puerto Vallarta Despite Strike Threat PUERTO VALLARTA - Amid threats of a work stoppage by Volaris employees early this Monday, operations at the Puerto Vallarta International Airport have continued as usual, as reported by the Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP). According to official statements from the airline, as of 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 5, Volaris has operated 77 flights…
Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
Puerto Vallarta Celebrates 105 Years as Municipality, 55 as City with Grand Anniversary Celebration PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - Puerto Vallarta, one of the nation's favorite tourist destinations, celebrated the 105th anniversary of its elevation to a municipality and its 55th year as a city with a solemn session held in the central courtyard of the city's presidency. Presiding over the commemorative event was Mayor, Professor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez,…
Mother Pleads for Expedited Investigation into Disappearance of Son Following Vallarta Pride Celebration PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – One week after the disappearance of 32-year-old Michel Rubén Castro Guizar, who attended the Vallarta Pride celebration in Puerto Vallarta, his mother Bacilia Guizar pleads with authorities to accelerate the investigation and search efforts. In an emotional press conference outside her house at 114 March 18th Street, October 12th neighborhood, Guizar…
