Bermuda has banned all variants of the Boeing 737 Max airliner from the island's airspace after a Max 8 crashed in Ethiopia killing all 157 people on board.

The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority has also grounded all versions of the 737 Max series listed on the Bermuda Aircraft Registry.

The move was in line with air regulators across the world as they suspended operations of the Boeing 737 Max in their regions.

A spokeswoman for the BCAA explained: “Following the tragic accident of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 involving a Boeing 737 Max aircraft, the BCAA is taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of passengers.

“The accident investigation is currently ongoing, and it is too early to draw any conclusions as to the cause of the accident.

She added: “As a precautionary measure, BCAA has provisionally suspended the Certificate of Airworthiness of all Boeing 737 Max aircraft on the Bermuda Aircraft Registry.”

She said the move came into effect at 4pm today.

The spokeswoman added: “In addition, BCAA have temporarily suspended the operation of all variants of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft into and out of Bermuda airspace.

“This decision has been taken based on ensuring the continued safety of passengers and flight crew, which is the BCAA's number one priority.

“During the temporary suspension, the BCAA will continue to work closely with the US Federal Aviation Authority and Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer.”

The plane crash on Sunday was the second fatal accident involving the 737 Max 8 model in less than five months.

As well as Ethiopia, the UK and the European Union, India, Singapore, China, France, Ireland, Germany, Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia have suspended 737 Max flights.

The BBC reported online there were four models in the Max fleet, but only two types were operational with the others expected to come into service over the next few years.