Mubasher: After two Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets crashed within six months, 33 nations and around 30 airlines have decided to ground the fuel-efficient aircraft within two days, a news report said.

The European Union (EU) aviation authority halted flight operations of the Boeing MAX 8 jets, a major hit to the US plane maker’s push to retain the confidence of governments and airlines, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

In addition to the 28 EU states, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore have grounded the Boeing jet, while airlines included Lion Air Aerolineas Argentinas, Lion Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Turkish Airlines, and Polish Airlines.

Earlier this week, China, Indonesia and Ethiopia suspended their 737 MAX 8 fleet, after an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 passengers on board.

This was the second plane crash of the Boeing model in less than six months, after an Indonesia’s Lion Air-operated jet of the same type, killing all on board.

Following the same lead, the UK Civil Aviation Authority banned flights of Boeing 737 MAX jets.