Ethiopian Airlines confirmed that both the captain and first officer of the crashed Boeing 737-800 were experienced pilots, according to CEO Tewolde Gebremariam. The aircraft, which took off from Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport bound for Nairobi, disappeared from radar 6 minutes after departure on March 10, 2019.
Captain Yared Mulugeta, an Ethiopian-born Kenyan national, had been operating the aircraft since November 2007. First Officer Ahmednur Mohamednur also possessed substantial flight experience, the CEO disclosed during a press briefing following the crash. The plane underwent scheduled maintenance on February 4, 2019, as reported by the airline.
The flight carried 157 passengers and eight crew members, including 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine Ethiopians, and eight Americans. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed condolences through his office, stating the government mourns the loss of lives in the tragedy.
This marks the second major accident in Ethiopian Airlines' history, following the 1996 Comoros hijacking that resulted in 125 fatalities. The airline's CEO noted the captain had reported technical difficulties before losing contact, though no official cause has been determined.
