Boeing 737 Max 9: Jets to stay grounded as inspections continue

The US aviation regulator has said 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes will remain grounded until it is satisfied the planes are safe.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been inspecting the jets after part of an Alaska Airlines plane's fuselage fell off on Friday.

The FAA said its first priority was "keeping the flying public safe".

Thousands of passengers saw their flights cancelled after major US airlines grounded dozens of the jets.

Alaska said flight disruptions are expected to last into next week. United Airlines has grounded 79 planes.

"We have grounded the affected airplanes, and they will remain grounded until the FAA is satisfied that they are safe," the agency said in a statement on Sunday.

Disruptions have primarily affected flights in the US.

Meanwhile, authorities are still searching for the plug door - which they believe fell to the ground in the western suburbs of Portland - and have appealed to the public to help find the panel.

During Friday's incident, Alaska Airlines flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, reached 16,000ft (4,876m) when it began an emergency descent, according to flight tracking data.

Passengers on board said a large section of the plane's outer shell fell to the ground shortly after take-off.

One passenger said the gap was "as wide as a refrigerator" while another said a child's shirt was ripped off in the wind as the plane made its emergency landing.

The plane, carrying 177 passengers and crew, landed safely back in Portland. Alaska said several passengers were injured, but not seriously.