Ethiopian airliner crashes with 149 passengers aboard enroute to Kenya
An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 passenger jet has crashed on a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.
The flight had 149 passengers and eight crew members on board, Reuters news agency reports.
The Ethiopian Prime minister’s office has confirmed news of the plane crash.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed tweeted his “deepest condolences to the families of those that have lost their loved ones.”
Ethiopian Airline has since released a statement saying the aircraft lost contacts just six minutes after leaving Bole International Airport.
According to the Airline, the plane took off at 08.38 am local time from Addis Ababa.
“We have no possible information about the survivors or any possible causalities” reads part of the statement.
Search and rescue operations are currently underway.
The Office of the PM, on behalf of the Government and people of Ethiopia, would like to express it’s 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.
— Office of the Prime Minister – Ethiopia (@PMEthiopia) March 10, 2019
Additional reporting by Amina Wako