Bishoftu, March 10
A Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boeing crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa Sunday, killing all eight crew and 149 passengers on board, including four Indians, tourists, business travellers, and “at least a dozen” UN staff.
Ethiopia declared a national day of mourning for Monday amid a global stream of condolences for loved ones, many of whom gathered in tears at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“The House of People's Representatives have declared March 11, 2019, a national day of mourning for citizens of all countries that have passed in this tragic accident,” Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office said on Twitter.
Identities of the victims from 35 countries started to emerge as foreign governments and the United Nations reacted with shock. “Deeply saddened by the news this morning of the plane crash in Ethiopia, claiming the lives of all on board. My heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims — including our own @UN staff — who perished in this tragedy,” tweeted UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The passengers included “at least a dozen” UN-affiliated staff headed for an annual assembly of the UN Environment Programme, which opens in Nairobi Monday with some 4,700 heads of state, ministers, business leaders, senior UN officials and civil society representatives, a UN source said.
Some of the UN staff were from the World Food Programme and UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the agencies said. Flight ET 302 ploughed into a field 60 kilometres (37 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa on what the airline's CEO Tewolde GebreMariam labelled a “very sad and tragic day”. An eyewitness told AFP the plane came down in flames.
“The plane was already on fire when it crashed to the ground. The crash caused a big explosion,” Tegegn Dechasa recounted at the site, littered with passenger belongings, human remains, and airplane parts around a massive crater at the point of impact.
“The plane was in flames in its rear side shortly before the crash. The plane was swerving erratically before the crash.” The Boeing 737-800MAX was brand new, delivered to state-owned Ethiopian Airways on Nov 15, said the carrier, Africa's largest. The plane is the same type as the Indonesian Lion Air jet that crashed in October, 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 persons on board. — AFP
Four indians among victims
- Four Indians, including a UN consultant attached with the Environment Ministry, were among those killed in the plane crash, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday. “I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Ethiopia to provide all help to the bereaved families,” she tweeted
- Among those killed included the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consultant attached with the Environment Ministry, Shikha Garg, who was on her way to attend a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) meeting
- Other deceased Indians are Vaidya Pannagesh Bhaskar, Vaidya Hansin Annagesh and Nukavarapu Manisha
14 killed in Colombia plane crash
Bogota: At least 14 people, including a minor, have been killed in a plane crash in Colombia, officials said. According to officials, the Laser Airlines DC-3 aircraft crashed on Saturday in the Colombian department of Meta, Efe news reported. In a tweet, Colombia’s Defensa Civil said police, air force, army personnel, and volunteers from Meta had recovered 14 bodies. IANS
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