The US aviation authority grounded over 170 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes following a midair incident where a window and part of the fuselage blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight. With 177 passengers onboard at 16,000 feet, the pilot made an emergency landing, thankfully with no injuries. Safety inspections are required before these planes can fly in UK airspace. Passengers captured images showing the damage, including a blown-out window panel. Witnesses described the terrifying experience, with an oxygen masks deployment and a chunk of the airplane missing, endangering a child. This incident is the latest involving the Boeing 737 Max series, previously involved in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, leading to a 20-month grounding by the US regulator.
Vocabulary:
• To ground: To stop an aircraft from flying temporarily.
• To be carried out: To perform or execute something.
• To be blown out: When something forcefully exits or bursts out, often due to pressure.
• Ceiling: The upper interior surface of an enclosed space.
• Chunk: A large, solid piece or part of something.
• Takeoff: The moment when an aircraft leaves the ground and starts flying.
• Clean bill of health: Confirmation or certification that something is in good condition or free from problems.
Source: BBC News YouTube channel.