ADDIS ABABA, March 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Flight data from the Ethiopian Airlines disaster a week ago suggest “clear similarities” with a crash off Indonesia last October, Ethiopia’s transport minister said.
Both planes were Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.
Last Sunday the Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed after take-off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board.
Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges told journalists that a preliminary report would be released within 30 days.
“Clear similarities were noted between Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610, which would be the subject of further study during the investigation,” Dagmawit told journalists.
In both cases flight tracking data showed the aircraft’s altitude had fluctuated sharply, as the planes seemed to experience erratic climbs and descents.
On Sunday, ceremonies took place both in Kenya and Ethiopia to honour the victims.
Thousands of people gathered in the Holy Trinity cathedral in Addis Ababa where empty coffins were draped in the national flag. None of the bodies has yet been formally identified because of the impact.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 took off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on the morning of March 10, bound for Nairobi in Kenya.
Minutes into the flight, the pilot reported difficulties and asked to return.
French air safety investigators examined the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder – or black boxes as they are often called – and have handed over their findings to their Ethiopian counterparts.
On Oct 29 Lion Air Flight 610 crashed after taking off from Jakarta airport, killing 189 people.
Following the second crash, airlines around the world grounded their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. — NNN-AGENCIES
