A brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane delivered to Ethiopian Airlines just four months ago and carrying 157 people, has crashed after taking off from Addis Ababa. There are no survivors among 157 people on board an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 that crashed en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Ethiopia’s state broadcaster reported. The 149 passengers and eight crew were of 33 nationalities, the country’s state broadcaster EBC reported on Sunday.
Ethiopia’s prime minister offered condolences to victims’ families.
“We hereby confirm that our scheduled flight ET 302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi was involved in an accident today,” the airline said in a statement on Sunday.
“It is believed that there were 149 passengers and eight crew on board the flight but we are currently confirming the details of the passenger manifest for the flight,” according to the statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the airline said “search and rescue operations are in progress and we have no confirmed information about survivors or any possible casualties”.
The spokesperson for the airline has confirmed to Reuters that 149 passengers and eight crew members were on board the plane at the time of the crash.
“Boeing 737-800MAX took off at 8.38 am local time from Addis Ababa and lost contact at 8.44 am. Search and rescue operation is in progress. It is believed that there were 149 passengers and 8 crew onboard the flight but we are currently confirming the details,” a spokesperson said.
The Boeing 737-800MAX is the same type of plane as the Indonesian Lion Air jet that crashed last October, 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board.
The MAX is in service all around the world. Airlines such as the Ethiopian Airlines are using this aircraft, as it is the latest, the most fuel-efficient, short-range Boeing aircraft on the market.
Boeing said on its Twitter account that it was aware of the reports about Sunday’s accident and was “closely monitoring the situation”.
Very Sad. May Thiers souls rest in Peace
How many Zambians on board? Hope ambassador Mwamba wasnt on this flight!! God help us!!
The dangers of flying is never too far every time on jump on a plane. But hey, what can you do other than take your chances.
Boeing should take these accidents and seriously and investigate what is going on here. Two accidents in 6 months (one last October and this is March) with the same type of plane is simply too high a rate….. something must be wrong here with this 737 MAX8000. Grounding all Boeing 737 MAX800 planes around the world would be the a good first step.
Condolences to the affected families!
I hope it’s not true but have heard from two different people that the writer and academic Dr Shishuwa Sishuwa was on the crashed flight. I am really praying it’s not true. It would be a national tragedy to lose such a young and excellent mind.
Is this the supposed partner of Zambia Airways?
Terrible news, to anyone who has relatives and loved ones on that flight my sincerest condolences.
Zambia-Ethiopian Airways already in disasters.
What’s Mushimba’s statement on this? Another postponement. All that ZDA cash released.
Thank God I was not there.
Sad, news for the Region, Africa, relatives of all passengers and crew of the Jet. May God comfort the relatives.
My deepest condolence. Very sad. I can only imagine how the affected families and friends are feeling. God grace the bereaved families and friends with comfort and peace.
@ at NINE CHALE stop that comedy,hahahahahahahaha!
Boss sure how do you pass that comments?
Anyway, chabipa sana!
My deepest condolences.
Very sad news indeed, a plane crash is always devastating because not even a seatbelt can make a difference. I hope investigations will be concluded quickly and the cause of the crash made known. In Zambia, social media experts from the Freemasons Party could have blamed on ECL
Very sad information indeed. May their souls rest in eternal peace.
What has become of this Nation that a very sad development like this gets politicized to wish any person dead?And to make matters worse,we have the pleasure of putting names to those we wish to die as if death brings any good thing to the bereaved families.
Very sad. My condolences to the bereaving families. We love to use this airline. Listening to Aljezera, it appears the manufacturer didn’t train the buyer on certain aspects of this new type of aeroplane.
I wish Jonathan Meno Meno was aboard
You must be leading a very miserable life
Poor mentality. It wouldn’t add any value to your miserable life. Alemiteka whether you wish him dead a million times.
That’s what happens when one joins Upnd. Jealous will kill you.
Freemasons at play
Very sad, may their souls rest in peace.
Sad
@Nubian Princess, scratch around for a few facts. Ethiopian is the third largest carrier in Africa. Boeing 737 is the largest selling plane. Every second, 2.2 of these planes are taking off or landing. This plane is 4 months old, so in aviation terms, it’s brand new. It’s the second to crash in 5 months. It has some modified features pertaining to wings, engine and computer system. Seemingly, some pilots have not been trained on a new feature in this 737 Max 8. It’s the second crash by the same make in 5 months (the first is not from Ethiopia). South Africa had one such plane delivered Just last week.
Boeing is in deeper trouble than Ethiopia airlines. Yes, Ethiopian had an accident in 2010, but consider their volume of air traffic.
So partnership here is irrelevant. Thank you.
This is tragic and even more disturbing that these planes haven’t been sanctioned by Boeing yet given the issues. Country list of the victims doesn’t have any Zambian.
RIP Really very bad news
Something up in the Skies over Africa yesterday?!. On the other side, an engine blew on an Air France A380 from Abidjan to Paris over Niger. Plane with more than 500 passengers returned to Abidjan after some hours and landed safely but with strong vibrations.
Hope ET crash was not due to human error as their last in 2010 in Beirut and with KQ on new planes in Abidjan in 2000 and Cameroon in 2007. Utilising new planes should not be rushed. Pilots should undergo strong mentorship attachments than have this pride of we have pilots take over. This crash is one too many on new planes in African Airlines. RIP.
ET crash in Beirut in 2010 was not due to human error but due to bad weather.
Zambia Airways doomed partners in aviation this Ethiopian Airlines.
Why are people so cruel?
Condolences, this will impact the partnership since people are going to avoid Ethiopian Airway for now.
I think the use of these new planes from Boeing should be suspended till they are re-examined before we lose more lives
Retire Boeing 737 Max 8 completely!
Think we are happy Americans ‘killed’ our cherished Concorde over one fatal accident in 30 years (1969-2000) of excellent service!
How many fatal crashes by Boeing 737 Max 8 in less than 5 years?