Ninety people feared dead after Ethiopia airliner crash
MOSCOW. January 25. KAZINFORM Ninety passengers and crew are feared dead after an Ethiopian airliner crashed off the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon shortly after takeoff in stormy weather in Beirut in the early hours of Monday; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
The Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-800, which was en route to Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, disappeared off the radar minutes after taking off, international media reported, citing airport officials.
It is not known what caused the crash. Police have ruled out a terrorist attack saying it was likely caused by poor weather. It had been raining heavily with lightning in Beirut on Sunday.
Helicopters and naval ships were reported to be searching the area. Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transportation Ghazi El Aridi said the authorities had requested help from U.N. peacekeepers and some neighboring countries, media reports said.
Lebanon's transport minister said the crash site has been identified; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.
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