Aviation agencies order engine checks after Southwest blast

US and European regulators order inspections within 20 days after passenger killed by blowout

US and European airline regulators have ordered emergency inspections within 20 days of nearly 700 aircraft engines similar to the one involved in a fatal Southwest Airlines blowout earlier this week, citing risks of a similar mishap.

The directives from the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency indicated rising concerns since a similar failure in 2016 of the same type of engine – a CFM56-7B engine, made by CFM International.