Ethiopia urges Lebanese officials to stop speculating on crashed plane

By Tesfa Alem Tekle

January 28, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia has urged Lebanon to stop pre-mature speculations being given by government officials on the cause that downed its passenger plane into the Mediterranean Sea early Monday.

Ethiopian government high-level delegation led by Foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin is in Lebanon to discuses on the disaster with counterparts in Lebanon. The high-level delegation is also there to assess the ongoing search efforts, to deliver condolence to victims of Lebanese people and to caution the early speculation being coming out from Lebanese officials on plane crash cause.

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin met with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and other officials to discuss the calamity.

Speaking to journalists minister Mesfin said that some Lebanese officials and country’s news agencies are releasing empty speculations ahead of the final investigation out come.

“We are in the first phase of research and recovery,” Seyoum said adding “We have not yet reached the phase of investigation and we do not know the cause of this accident.”

“Rather, we are focusing on the recovery of the remains of the aircraft and those on board and, if possible, to see if there is a chance of any survivors.’’

“It is premature to say who is responsible for this accident. It is premature and not helpful, particularly for the families of those who were on board, to put out speculation.”

The Ethiopian official said that an understanding has been reached with Lebanese officials on ways such irresponsible theories could be stopped right away.

On behalf of the Ethiopian people and government, Mesfin expressed heartfelt sympathy to the families of the bereaved families of the victims, also reaffirmed Lebanon government’s determination in scaling up the on-going search and rescue mission.

The cause of the accident is still not determined, the minister said, adding Ethiopia remains keen to learn the real cause of the calamity.

Meanwhile the Ethiopian airlines today said that the “black box” flight recorders from its passenger jet which crashed off the coast of Lebanon have been located. US rescue teams managed with their advanced equipment to pinpoint the location of the black box of the Ethiopian plane.

A search team located the recorders from the Ethiopian Airlines flight just over 1.3km underwater, 10km west of the capital, Beirut and a search team is now trying to retrieve them.

With no word of survival, now 4 days after crash, all 90 people on board the flight are presumed dead.

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, destined to Addis Ababa, crashed into the Mediterranean minutes after take-off from Beirut during a severe thunderstorm on Monday.

(ST)