(Image source from: bostonglobe.com)
According to UN Department of Safety and Security, 19 people affiliated to the United Nations were among those killed in the crash Sunday of an Ethiopian Airlines jet near Addis Ababa, a United Nations official said.
These are travelling to Nairobi for United Nations Environment Assembly.
According to the reports, 157 people on board were killed when the Boeing 737 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa on a flight to Nairobi, where the UN conference on environment was going to be held.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the news this morning of the plane crash in Ethiopia, claiming the lives of all on board. My heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims including our own United staff members who perished in this tragedy.”
Deeply saddened by the news this morning of the plane crash in Ethiopia, claiming the lives of all on board. My heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims — including our own @UN staff — who perished in this tragedy.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 10, 2019
In a statement released, “The Secretary-General was deeply saddened at the tragic loss of lives in the airplane crash today near Addis Ababa.”
“ He conveys 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.” the statement said.
”The United Nations 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,” it added.
The cause of the plane crash is not yet known
By Sai Kumar
