China Grounds All Boeing 737 MAX 8 Flights

China on Monday ordered domestic airlines to suspend commercial operation of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, citing the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight of that model after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

Operation of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft will resume after "confirming the relevant measures to effectively ensure flight safety", China's Civil Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The order issued at 9am Beijing time and would last nine hours. The administration said further notice would be issued after consultation with the US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing on safety measures taken.

Eight Chinese nationals were among the 157 people aboard the plane when it crashed Sunday shortly after takeoff.

It was the same model as a plane that crashed in Indonesia in October, claiming the lives of the 189 people.

Only the flight data and cockpit conversation contained in the aircraft's two black boxes can provide tangible evidence of what may have caused the latest accident – technical problems, pilot error or a combination of factors.

"The pilot mentioned that he had difficulties and he wants to return. He was given clearance" to turn around," Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam told reporters in Addis Ababa.

Weather conditions were good in the Ethiopian capital at the time of the flight.

While Teal Group expert Richard Aboulafia said it was "too soon to make any kind of meaningful comment", another expert stressed the similarities between the two incidents.

"It's the same plane. Like Lion Air, the [Ethiopia Airlines] accident took place shortly after takeoff and the pilots signalled they were experiencing problems, then the plane crashed. The similarities are clear," the aerospace expert added, requesting anonymity to speak freely on the matter.

But Michel Merluzeau, director of Aerospace & Defence Market Analysis, noted that "these are the only similarities, and the comparison stops there as we do not have any other reliable information at this juncture".

Since the Lion Air accident, the 737 MAX has faced growing scepticism from the aerospace community. The program had already encountered problems during development. (AP, AFP)