US officials order grounding of Boeing 737-9 Max jetliners after blowout

The airline had already grounded its 65 Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft until they can be inspected. The National Transportation Safety Board said it will also investigat

The incident affected an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 Max above Oregon (AP)

US aviation officials have ordered the immediate grounding of Boeing 737-9 Max jetliners after an Alaska Airlines plane suffered a blowout that left a gaping hole in the side of its fuselage.

The required inspections will take around four to eight hours per aircraft and will affect about 171 planes worldwide.