Second 737 Max crash in months raises more questions

AMID ongoing investigations, it is too early to connect the tragic Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes, both of which involved Boeing's Max 737 8 aircraft.

But the similarities around the two crashes are bound to spark concern among travellers and cast a pall over Boeing's Max programme, which has thousands of planes on order, including from regional carriers SilkAir, Malindo Air and Lion Air.

On Sunday, Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 plummeted within minutes of takeoff, claiming 157 lives. ET302 had reportedly sought to return to Addis Ababa after the pilot - who had some 8,000 flight hours under his belt - reported technical problems.