Lion Air flight JT 610 has crashed into the sea, with nearly 190 people on board, shortly after taking off from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
A lot of attention has focused on the fact the plane, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was brand new. This is the first major incident involving that kind of plane.
Details so far have been scant and the cause will not be confirmed until a full investigation has been carried out.
Plane crashes are often the result of a combination of factors – both technical and human – but could the fact that the plane was so new have played any part? Read more