mrmcdonaldduck
January 25th, 2010, 05:06 AM
AN Ethiopian airliner carrying 90 passengers and crew crashed in stormy weather following takeoff in Lebanon today, plunging into the sea.
The wife of France's ambassador to Lebanon was onboard, a Lebanese government official said.
"Among the names on the passenger list was that of Marla Sanchez Pietton, the wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ambassador Denis Pietton took up his post in Lebanon in September.
Rescue workers have located the crash site of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that went down just off the Lebanese coast, Lebanon's Transport Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said.
Another official said among the passengers headed to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa were 54 Lebanese nationals.
Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi rushed to Beirut International Airport, located on the outskirts of the city.
He said search and rescue operations were underway.
Rescue teams have recovered 10 bodies from the wreckage.
Mr Aridi said Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 lost contact with the airport control tower shortly after takeoff and crashed into the sea about 12km south of the airport.
"The control tower was assisting the pilot of the plane on takeoff and suddenly lost contact for no known reason," Mr Aridi said.
He said the passengers include 54 Lebanese, 22 Ethiopians, one Iraqi, one French woman, one Syrian and seven crew members. There were also several dual nationals including two British-Lebanese, one Canadian-Lebanese and a Russian-Lebanese.
Mr Aridi said he had formed an investigative committee to determine the cause of the crash and had contacted nearby countries to assist in the search and rescue effort.
The Lebanese army, navy as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were assisting in the rescue, Mr Aridi added.
"We have contacted everyone, inside and outside the country, that can assist us and the Lebanese navy, the army and UNIFIL have joined in the rescue," the minister added.
Families of the passengers, some of them weeping, could be seen arriving at Beirut International Airport, where they were escorted to a private area to await news of their loved ones.
Mr Aridi said an investigation into the cause was underway.
The accident took place amid heavy rains and storms in Lebanon in the past two days that have caused heavy flooding and damages in some part of the country.
It also comes just one month after a Panamian-flagged ship transporting livestock capsized in similar weather and sank off the coast of northern Lebanon with around 80 sailors onboard.
The majority of the sailors were rescued but 26 were unaccounted for and presumed dead
______________________________________
I really hope that at least some people survived and we can tell what happened
The wife of France's ambassador to Lebanon was onboard, a Lebanese government official said.
"Among the names on the passenger list was that of Marla Sanchez Pietton, the wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ambassador Denis Pietton took up his post in Lebanon in September.
Rescue workers have located the crash site of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that went down just off the Lebanese coast, Lebanon's Transport Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said.
Another official said among the passengers headed to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa were 54 Lebanese nationals.
Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi rushed to Beirut International Airport, located on the outskirts of the city.
He said search and rescue operations were underway.
Rescue teams have recovered 10 bodies from the wreckage.
Mr Aridi said Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 lost contact with the airport control tower shortly after takeoff and crashed into the sea about 12km south of the airport.
"The control tower was assisting the pilot of the plane on takeoff and suddenly lost contact for no known reason," Mr Aridi said.
He said the passengers include 54 Lebanese, 22 Ethiopians, one Iraqi, one French woman, one Syrian and seven crew members. There were also several dual nationals including two British-Lebanese, one Canadian-Lebanese and a Russian-Lebanese.
Mr Aridi said he had formed an investigative committee to determine the cause of the crash and had contacted nearby countries to assist in the search and rescue effort.
The Lebanese army, navy as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were assisting in the rescue, Mr Aridi added.
"We have contacted everyone, inside and outside the country, that can assist us and the Lebanese navy, the army and UNIFIL have joined in the rescue," the minister added.
Families of the passengers, some of them weeping, could be seen arriving at Beirut International Airport, where they were escorted to a private area to await news of their loved ones.
Mr Aridi said an investigation into the cause was underway.
The accident took place amid heavy rains and storms in Lebanon in the past two days that have caused heavy flooding and damages in some part of the country.
It also comes just one month after a Panamian-flagged ship transporting livestock capsized in similar weather and sank off the coast of northern Lebanon with around 80 sailors onboard.
The majority of the sailors were rescued but 26 were unaccounted for and presumed dead
______________________________________
I really hope that at least some people survived and we can tell what happened