UN, AU Condole Over “Tragic Loss of Lives” in Ethiopian Plane Crash

Addis Ababa March 11/2019 The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat have expressed their “deep” condolences over tragic loss of lives in an Ethiopian airplane crash. 

The plane was reportedly carrying passengers from more than 35 different countries.

Guterres conveyed his “heartfelt sympathies and solidarity to the victims’ families and loved ones, including those of United Nations staff members, as well as sincere condolences to the Government and people of Ethiopia”.

According to the UN Department of Safety and Security in Kenya, 19 UN staff perished in the crash. The World Food Program (WFP) lost seven staff, the Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) lost two, as did the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Sudan, World Bank and UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) each lost one staff member.

The cause of the disaster is not yet known, although weather conditions were reportedly good and the plane went down in a field near Bishoftu, around 35 miles southeast of the capital.

The UN is in contact with the Ethiopian authorities and “working closely with them to establish the details of United Nations personnel who lost their lives in this tragedy,” the Secretary-General stated.

Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat also said “It is with utter shock and immense sadness that I learnt of the crash of Nairobi-bound flight ET302.”

Furthermore, Moussa Faki said “Our prayers are with the families of the passengers plus crew as authorities search for survivors. I also express our full solidarity with the government and people of Ethiopia.”

An Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed shortly after takeoff from the capital Addis Ababa on Sunday, killing 157 people on board.