Ethiopian plane crashes in the Mediterranean, 92 feared dead

January 24, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – An Ethiopian airlines flight crashed into the Mediterranean sea shortly after taking off from Beirut International airport, according to Lebanese authorities.

The Boeing 737 plane was carrying 90 people, including 83 passengers and 7 crew including 54 Lebanese, 22 Ethiopians, one Iraqi, one Syrian, one Canadian of Lebanese origin, one Russian of Lebanese origin, a French woman and two Britons of Lebanese origin.

A French embassy official in Beirut, also speaking anonymously, said the wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon was on the plane.

The Associated Press (AP) quoted Lebanon’s Transport Minister Ghazi al-Aridi as saying that rescue workers have located the crash site.

“[The crash] site has been identified three-and-a-half km (two miles) west of the (coastal) village of Na’ameh,” Aridi told reporters at Beirut international airport.

He said search and rescue operations were under way but refused to give any further details. He also said it was too early to say what caused the crash but confirmed the plane took off from Beirut international airport in stormy weather. Aridi said an investigation into the cause was under way.

Aridi further said that the Lebanese president Michel Suleiman and prime minister Sa’ad Al-Hariri are monitoring the situation and called for mobilization of all government agencies including the army.

The Lebanese official said that the weather conditions are poor but that the people should wait for investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

Ethiopian Airlines released a statement on its Web site confirming the plane was missing.

(ST)