A Boeing 737 Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi with 149 passengers and eight crew members aboard crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on 10 March, reports Indian Express.
People from 32 different countries were reportedly on the flight which crashed in a field just 60 kilometres southeast of the capital.
Four Indians, including an Environment Ministry consultant, were among those killed. The Indian Environment Ministry consultant, Shikha Garg, was on her way to attend a UNEP meeting.
“I am sorry to know about the unfortunate crash of Ethiopian Airlines plane ET 302. We have lost four Indian nationals in the air crash. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Ethiopia to provide all help and assistance to the bereaved families,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of the carrier, visited the accident scene and expressed his sympathy and condolences to the families of the passengers and crew who lost their lives, calling it an “unfortunate and tragic day.”
The Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed’s official Twitter handle, also expressed condolences to the families of those lost in the crash.
“The office of the PM, on behalf of the government and people of Ethiopia, would like to express its deepest condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones on Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 on a regular scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya, this morning,” the PM’s office said on Twitter.