China launches inspection of airlines as search for crash victims continues

Since the crash, China Eastern and two subsidiaries have grounded their fleet of more than 200 Boeing 737-800 jets. - Bloomberg

BEIJING (Reuters): The Chinese aviation regulator has launched a sector-wide inspection for potential safety lapses as authorities race to search for victims and the black boxes of a commercial jet that crashed in the mountains of southern China.

The cause of the crash of the China Eastern Airlines jet in Guangxi region on Monday (March 21) is yet to be determined, with Chinese aviation authorities warning that their investigation would be very difficult because of the severe damage to the aircraft.