Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed the nationalities of 130 passengers aboard flight ET 302, which crashed shortly after departing Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019. The airline provided details as authorities continue investigating the incident.
Kenya's Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia announced the deployment of a team led by Principal Secretary Esther Koimett to Ethiopia following the crash. The delegation aims to coordinate with local authorities and support families of the victims.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam stated the aircraft, which had arrived from South Africa, spent over three hours on the ground before departure. He noted the plane showed no signs of issues during its pre-flight checks. "The plane had more than three hours of ground time after coming from South Africa, it arrived with no remark and was dispatched with no remark," he said.
Gebremariam also confirmed that the pilot reported difficulties shortly after takeoff and requested permission to return to the airport. Smoke was still visible at the crash site during his visit, according to the CEO.
