A 2017 photograph of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft involved in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash was disclosed as officials confirmed the deaths of all 157 people on board, including 149 passengers and eight crew members, following the disaster.
The multinational crew and passengers represented 33 nationalities, according to airline statements. The crash occurred six minutes after takeoff at 08:44 local time near Bishoftu, 60 kilometers southeast of Addis Ababa, with the aircraft bound for Nairobi, Kenya.
An eyewitness described intense flames engulfing the wreckage upon impact. "The blast and fire were so strong we couldn't approach," the witness told BBC. "Everything is burnt. Four helicopters are at the scene now."
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed condolences on Twitter as search and rescue operations began. Ethiopian Airlines pledged to deploy staff to assist emergency services at the crash site.
