Ethiopian Airlines confirmed all 157 individuals aboard flight ET302 perished when the Boeing 737-800 crashed shortly after departing Addis Ababa on March 10. The aircraft was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, carrying 149 passengers and eight crew members from 33 nationalities.
The crash occurred six minutes post-takeoff at 08:44 local time near Bishoftu, 60 kilometers southeast of the capital. Ethiopian Airlines stated search and rescue teams were deployed to the site, with staff dispatched to assist emergency services.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed condolences on social media, while Boeing acknowledged monitoring the situation. The 737 Max-8 model, introduced in 2016, faced scrutiny after a similar crash in Indonesia in October 2018. Ethiopian Airlines has maintained a strong safety record despite past incidents, including a 2010 Mediterranean Sea crash that killed 90 and a 1996 hijacking-related disaster in the Indian Ocean.
The airline operates extensive African routes, distinguishing itself from carriers limited to regional flights. No survivors were reported from the latest accident, which occurred amid ongoing investigations into the aircraft's safety profile.
