A memorial monument to victims of the 157 Ethiopian Airlines crash of March 10, 2019 has been unveiled as families and the national carrier marked the sixth anniversary of the tragic incident.
The deadly incident—the worst air tragedy in the history of Africa’s fastest growing airline killed all 157 people on board the Nairobi bound Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Boeing 737 Max 8 plane, including eight crew members.
A special commemorative event marking the anniversary of the tragic incident, was held on Monday as victims’ families joined senior Ethiopian government officials, Ethiopian Airlines executives and staff members, as well as those of the diplomatic community based in Addis Ababa on the plane crash site.
During the occasion, a monument which was erected in memory of the victims around Bishoftu town, some 45 km from Addis Ababa, was unveiled.
Speaking at the commemorative event, Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Alemu Sime underscored that “while the plane crash left an enduring sadness in our hearts that can never be forgotten, it taught us a lesson to be committed to ensuring the safety of air transport”.
The 157 victims include 32 from Kenya, 18 from Canada, nine from Ethiopia, eight each from China, Italy and the United States, seven each from Britain and France, six from Egypt, and five from the Netherlands, according to the airlines.
They also include four each from India and Slovakia, three each from Austria, Russia and Sweden, two each from Israel, Morocco, Poland and Spain, and one each from Belgium, Djibouti, Indonesia, Ireland, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovenia, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Uganda and Yemen.
MG/as/APA