Ethiopian Airlines plane crashes, killing all 157 aboard including Americans, officials say
- 5 years ago
An Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed minutes after takeoff from Ethiopia’s capital on Sunday, killing all 157 people on board including some Americans, the airline and government officials said.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 left Bole airport in Addis Ababa bound for Nairobi, Kenya, at 8:38 a.m. before losing contact with the control tower minutes later at 8:44 a.m. The crash occurred around Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, some 31 miles south of Addis Ababa.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash of the Boeing 737-8 MAX plane, which was new and had been delivered to the airline in November, according to records obtained by the Associated Press.
The plane showed unstable vertical speed after takeoff, air traffic monitor Flightradar 24 said in a Twitter post.
State broadcaster EBC reported all passengers were dead and that they included 33 nationalities. Kenya's transport minister said that 8 Americans were among the dead, as well as 18 Canadians, 8 each from China and Italy, 7 people each from France and Britain; 6 from Egypt; 5 from the Netherlands and 4 each from India and Slovakia.
Ethiopian Airlines posted a photo that showed its CEO standing amid the wreckage of the plane that crashed shortly after takeoff.
The airline's social media post said that "Tewolde Gebremariam, who is at the accident scene now, regrets to confirm that there are no survivors. He expressed his profound sympathy and condolences to the families and loved ones of passengers and crew who lost their lives in this tragic accident."
The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia said in a statement it was aware that American citizens were on board the aircraft, and is working to determine their identities.
"The U.S. Government, the U.S. Embassy team, and the American people extend our sincere sympathies to all those who lost loved ones in the crash this morning of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302," the embassy said. "We are in contact with the Government of Ethiopia and Ethiopian Airlines to offer all possible assistance."
Worried families immediately began gathering at the airport Nairobi in the wake of the crash.
“We’re just waiting for my mum. We’re just hoping she took a different flight or was delayed. She’s not picking up her phone,” Wendy Otieno told Reuters as she was clutching her phone and weeping.
Agnes Muilu said she came to the airport to pick up her brother but was not yet told of anything.
"I just pray that he is safe or he was not on it," Muilu told the AP.
Why are they taking us round and round, it is all over the news that the plane crashed," said Edwin Ong'undi, who had been waiting for his sister. "All we are asking for is information to know about their fate."
The Addis Ababa-Nairobi route links East Africa's two largest economic powers and is popular with tourists making their way to safari and other destinations, according to the AP.
The office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed shared a message to Twitter offering condolences.
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Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 left Bole airport in Addis Ababa bound for Nairobi, Kenya, at 8:38 a.m. before losing contact with the control tower minutes later at 8:44 a.m. The crash occurred around Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, some 31 miles south of Addis Ababa.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash of the Boeing 737-8 MAX plane, which was new and had been delivered to the airline in November, according to records obtained by the Associated Press.
The plane showed unstable vertical speed after takeoff, air traffic monitor Flightradar 24 said in a Twitter post.
State broadcaster EBC reported all passengers were dead and that they included 33 nationalities. Kenya's transport minister said that 8 Americans were among the dead, as well as 18 Canadians, 8 each from China and Italy, 7 people each from France and Britain; 6 from Egypt; 5 from the Netherlands and 4 each from India and Slovakia.
Ethiopian Airlines posted a photo that showed its CEO standing amid the wreckage of the plane that crashed shortly after takeoff.
The airline's social media post said that "Tewolde Gebremariam, who is at the accident scene now, regrets to confirm that there are no survivors. He expressed his profound sympathy and condolences to the families and loved ones of passengers and crew who lost their lives in this tragic accident."
The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia said in a statement it was aware that American citizens were on board the aircraft, and is working to determine their identities.
"The U.S. Government, the U.S. Embassy team, and the American people extend our sincere sympathies to all those who lost loved ones in the crash this morning of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302," the embassy said. "We are in contact with the Government of Ethiopia and Ethiopian Airlines to offer all possible assistance."
Worried families immediately began gathering at the airport Nairobi in the wake of the crash.
“We’re just waiting for my mum. We’re just hoping she took a different flight or was delayed. She’s not picking up her phone,” Wendy Otieno told Reuters as she was clutching her phone and weeping.
Agnes Muilu said she came to the airport to pick up her brother but was not yet told of anything.
"I just pray that he is safe or he was not on it," Muilu told the AP.
Why are they taking us round and round, it is all over the news that the plane crashed," said Edwin Ong'undi, who had been waiting for his sister. "All we are asking for is information to know about their fate."
The Addis Ababa-Nairobi route links East Africa's two largest economic powers and is popular with tourists making their way to safari and other destinations, according to the AP.
The office of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed shared a message to Twitter offering condolences.
More at: