Ethiopian Airlines Crash: 4 Indians among 157 killed in flight to Nairobi
An Ethiopian Airlines jet, flying from Addis Ababa to Kenya’s capital Nairobi with 157 people on board in the crashed on Sunday after losing control with tower within six minutes after takeoff, according to reports shared by the airline. All the 149 passengers and 8 crew members died in the crash. There are no survivors, added state broadcaster.
"There are no survivors onboard the flight, which carried passengers from 33 countries," said state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, quoting an unidentified source at the airline.
Authorities said Canadians, Chinese, Americans, Italians, Indians, French, British, Egyptians among those killed in Ethiopian plane crash. "Four Indians among the 157 people who lost their lives after Addis Ababa-Nairobi flight crashed," said airlines
#UPDATE The Associated Press: Authorities say Canadians, Chinese, Americans, Italians, Indians, French, British, Egyptians among those killed in Ethiopian plane crash. https://t.co/DXgGnpp3Or
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2019
The flight left Bole airport in Addis Ababa at 8.38 am local time, and lost control with the tower just a few minutes later at 8.44 am. Flight ET 302 crashed near the town of Bishoftu, near capital Addis Ababa, the airline said, adding that the plane was a Boeing 737-800 MAX, registration number ET-AVJ.
"Search and rescue operations are in progress and we have no confirmed information about survivors or any possible casualties," the airline said in a statement.
The office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed tweeted the condolence message, saying “The Office of the PM, on behalf of the Government and people of Ethiopia, would like to express its deepest condolences to the families of those that have lost their loved ones on Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 on regular scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya this morning.”
An Ethiopian Airlines spokesman said 32 Kenyans and 17 Ethiopians were among the victims.
Records show that the plane was new. The Planespotters civil aviation database shows that the Boeing 737-8 MAX was delivered to Ethiopian Airlines in mid-November.
First published: 10 March 2019, 19:42 IST