LONDON: A US politician who blamed pilot error for contributing to the deadly crash of a Boeing 737 Max flown by Ethiopian Airlines was “seriously misinformed,” the carrier’s boss has said.
Republican Sam Graves told a House of Representatives hearing last month that “facts” in investigations after crashes in both Ethiopia and Indonesia “reveal pilot error as a factor in these tragically fatal accidents.”
He also said “pilots trained in the United States would have successfully handled the situation” in both incidents.
But in a BBC interview aired Monday, Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam said criticisms of his crew’s actions were “seriously misinformed,” and that Graves did not “have the facts in his hands.”
“People who’ve made those comments should ask themselves, ‘Why on earth have they grounded 380 airplanes over the world?’ The facts speak for themselves,” he said.
The 737 MAX 8 is currently grounded worldwide after the March crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which killed all 157 people onboard and drew scrutiny to the new Boeing model’s anti-stall system.
Pilots were already worried about the safety of the model following the October 2018 crash in Indonesia of a Lion Air 737 MAX 8 that killed 189 people.
Boeing is working to submit a modified version of the aircraft’s software and hopes to get the approval of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its counterparts throughout the world.
But aviation regulators meeting last month were unable to determine when the popular jet might again be allowed to fly, causing costly headaches for airlines worldwide.
Revelations of close ties between Boeing and the FAA in testing the MAX led to a crisis of confidence among the public and airline pilots, as well as some of the other agencies that regulate civil aviation.
“We have work to do to win and regain the trust of the public,” Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg conceded at the Paris Air Show on Sunday.
Ethiopian Airlines rejects ‘pilot error’ claim in US
Ethiopian Airlines rejects ‘pilot error’ claim in US
- The Ethiopian Airlines crash killed all 157 people onboard and drew scrutiny to the new Boeing model’s anti-stall system
- Boeing is working to submit a modified version of the aircraft’s software and hopes to get the approval of aviation authorities
SIDF concludes participation in Momentum 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi Industrial Development Fund concluded its participation in the Development Finance Conference Momentum 2025 organized by the National Development Fund under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister and chairman of the NDF board.
The event was held from Dec. 9 to 11 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
The conference provided a platform to explore the future of development finance and its role in supporting sustainable growth. It brought together leading thinkers, investors, and decision-makers from around the world to discuss key challenges and opportunities, and to exchange experiences that enhance financing tools and maximize their developmental impact.
SIDF participation underscored its active role in supporting economic development through its financing advisory and knowledge-based programs as well as its diverse initiatives designed to meet the needs and aspirations of manufacturers and investors, aligning with the Kingdom's objectives and Vision 2030 targets.
In a panel discussion on the sidelines of the conference, Prince Sultan bin Khalid bin Faisal, CEO of SIDF, highlighted that the fund has, for more than 50 years, continued to develop its financing and advisory tools to empower national industries and enhance their global competitiveness.
He noted that SIDF has supported more than 4200 projects with total disbursements exceeding SR150 billion ($40 billion), attracting investments of nearly SR800 billion.
Prince Sultan added that the fund is currently focused on creating new financing channels in collaboration with government and private entities to provide sustainable funding for the private sector through mechanisms that attract capital and investors.
He said: “We recently launched the world’s largest supply chain financing program in collaboration with Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Electricity Co., benefiting thousands of suppliers and factories.”
SIDF participation culminated in signing a cooperation agreement with the Saudi Arabia Railways to identify opportunities for industrial sector support and to assist investors in localizing goods and services to increase domestic content.
The Momentum 2025 conference reflects the Kingdom's leading role across various development sectors, highlighting the contributions of its development ecosystem in shaping a sustainable developmental future that delivers economic and social impact in line with Vision 2030 objectives.
The conference serves as a platform for collaboration that advances the implementation of development finance solutions, bringing together leaders from government entities, development finance institutions, investors and innovators from within the Kingdom and abroad.
It aims to strengthen partnerships that align capabilities across the system and translate developmental priorities into actionable initiatives, fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.
