Aviation authorities initiated an investigation into the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302, which killed all 157 passengers and crew aboard shortly after departing Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, bound for Nairobi, crashed 12 minutes post-takeoff, marking the second fatal incident involving the model following the Lion Air disaster in Indonesia in October 2018.
The crash site, located 62 kilometers southeast of Addis Ababa, revealed scattered wreckage and personal effects. Eyewitnesses described the plane as on fire with erratic flight patterns before impact. Among the victims were 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, and 19 United Nations staff members traveling to the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi. The pilot, Yared Getachew, had over 8,000 hours of flight experience, and Ethiopian Airlines confirmed no maintenance issues prior to the flight.
Boeing and the US National Transportation Safety Board are participating in the investigation alongside Ethiopian civil aviation authorities. China temporarily grounded its Boeing 737 Max 8 fleet following the crash, while Ethiopian Airlines stated no immediate operational suspensions were planned. The airline emphasized its commitment to a forensic review with international partners.
The 737 Max 8 model, introduced in 2016, faces heightened scrutiny after the Indonesia crash, which implicated pilot training and a Boeing anti-stall system. Ethiopian Airlines, which experienced a major crash in January 2010, aims to expand its fleet to 120 aircraft by 2025. The airline’s CEO described the plane as "brand new" with no technical issues, though the cause of the disaster remains under investigation.
