Lion Air plane crashes in Indonesia

A Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 that crashed Monday was “airworthy,” Lion Air president Edward Sirait said during a press conference at the company's headquarters in Jakarta, adding that the pilot had carried out all pre-flight inspections according to procedure.

Lion Air has been one of Boeing's biggest customers for its 737s.

In 2011, the companies announced a $21.7 billion order for 230 of the single-aisle, twin-engine jets. Boeing at the time said it was the largest single order for commercial jets in Boeing's history, both in terms of the number of planes and the dollar value.

The companies announced the deal at the East Asia Summit in Bali as then-US President Barack Obama looked on.

Lion Air has since become the first airline to put the 737 MAX 8 into service in 2017, and order and take delivery of the 737 MAX 9. In April, it ordered 50 of the 737 MAX 10, the largest of the line, in a $6.24 billion deal.

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