Tragedy as Ethiopian airliner crashes on way to Kenya

(BBC) An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 passenger jet has crashed on a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.

The flight is believed to have had 149 passengers and eight crew members on board, the airline says.

A spokesman said the crash happened at 08.44 local time on Sunday, shortly after take-off from the Ethiopian capital.

In a statement, the airline said that search and rescue operations were under way.

It did not provide details on the number of casualties.

“Ethiopian Airlines staff will be sent to the accident scene and will do everything possible to assist the emergency services,” the airline added.

First word of the crash came on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Twitter account.

He tweeted his “deepest condolences to the families of those that have lost their loved ones.”

The Office of the PM, on behalf of the Government and people of Ethiopia, would like to express its deepest condolences to the families of those that have lost their loved ones on Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 on regular scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya this morning.