Kenyan authorities and Ethiopian Airlines have announced plans to support families of victims from the March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines crash, covering travel and accommodation costs for one representative from each affected household in Addis Ababa.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia confirmed the arrangement during a Nairobi press conference, emphasizing the need for media and the public to respect the privacy of grieving families. "Some of them have been very distressed, and we ask you to give them as much space as possible," he stated.
Of the 32 Kenyan passengers aboard the Boeing 737, authorities have contacted 25 families. Ethiopian Airlines Kenya country manager Yilma Goshu said relatives traveling to Addis Ababa would receive hotel accommodations at Skylight Hotel near Bole International Airport.
A Kenyan delegation, including transport principal secretary Esther Koimmet and Ambassador Catherine Mwangi, met Ethiopian aviation officials to review the crash investigation. Mwangi announced the establishment of an embassy-led help desk at Bole Airport to assist families with documentation and government requirements.
The flight lost contact six minutes after departing Bole Airport at 08:44 local time, crashing near Bishoftu. While most victims were Kenyan, the international flight carried passengers from multiple countries.
