Ethiopian Airlines Flight with 157 persons to Nairobi Involved in Fatal Crash
The plane which had 149 passengers and eight crew members on board the Boeing 737 crashed six minutes after takeoff on Sunday morning.
It took off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, headed to Nairobi, Kenya's capital.
The crash occurred around Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the capital, shortly after taking off at 8:38am local time, said the airline's statement.
While the airline said that "search and rescue operations are in progress and we have no confirmed information about survivors or any possible casualties," a separate statement by the Ethiopian prime minister's office offered its "deepest condolences" to families.
There were no immediate details on what caused the crash.
The Ethiopian Airlines is said to be Africa's largest carrier and has ambitions of becoming the gateway to the continent.
This crash comes as the country's reformist prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, has vowed to open up the airline and other sectors to foreign investment in a major transformation of the state-centered economy.
Update - 11am
"No Survivors"
Everyone on board Ethiopian Airlines jet died in crash, spokesman says - victims were from 33 nationalities
All 149 passengers and eight crew members believed to be on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed this morning are dead, the airline spokesperson has told Ethiopia's state broadcaster.
There were people from 33 different nationalities on board, the spokesperson added.
More so, the Ethiopia has declared Monday, 11th March as "Day of Mourning"
More so, the Ethiopia has declared Monday, 11th March as "Day of Mourning"
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