GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CMC) — Cayman Airways has joined a number of international carriers in suspending their use of their new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, following Sunday’s deadly crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 that killed all 149 passengers and eight crew members.

“While the cause of this sad loss is undetermined at this time, we stand by our commitment to putting the safety of our passengers and crew first by maintaining complete and undoubtable safe operations, and as such, we have taken the decision to suspend operations of both our new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, effective from Monday March 11, 2019, until more information is received,” said Cayman Airways President and chief executive officer, Fabian Whorms.

Whorms said Cayman Airways is working with Boeing Corporation and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands to monitor the investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed shortly after take-off from the Addis Ababa airport on Sunday.

Cayman Airways recently launched its Denver route and the suspension of the airline’s two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft will mean flight schedule and capacity changes.

“We offer our valued customers our continued assurance that all prudent and necessary actions required for the safe operation of our Max 8’s will be accomplished before the aircraft are returned to service,” Whorms said.

Last November, Cayman Airways said that the crash involving a Lion Air flight in October last year using the same model aircraft “should not be considered as a reference for comparison with present and future operations at Cayman Airways,.

“Today, there are well over 200 Boeing 737 Max aircraft in operation around the world with a large percentage being operated by major North American airlines that operate to and from Grand Cayman. Cayman Airways has had decades of safe operations with Boeing aircraft and we will always have safety as our absolute highest priority.”