Ethiopian Beirut Tragedy Report Suspended

By Gubae Gundarta

It was before a year that an airliner that belonged to Ethiopian Airlines with 90 passengers and crew members flying home from Beirut detonated mid-air, January 25, 2010 before daybreak. The crash was rather enigmatic. An investigation team was set up to delve into the matter. The official report of their findings was expected to be released last Tuesday, 25 January 2011; it didn’t come out.

The investigation team which consisted of ten members has already arrived in Addis. This information was obtained from reliable but unofficial sources while Ethiopian Airlines did not officially confirm it. The airline’s Public Relations Unit said it had no information on the matter.

In terms of its composition the investigation team comprised experts from the American Boeing Company, Lebanese government, Ethiopians and the US Department of Transportation. It was also learned that upon completion the team would hand over a copy of the report to Lebanese officials in Beirut. For the accident happened in Beirut air zone, the report would be officially disseminated by the Lebanese government.

Some Lebanese media outlets have been releasing reports, citing some higher officials of their own, saying the calamity was caused by the misstep of the Ethiopian pilot. To this the Ethiopian Airlines responded that it was illegal to speculate about the accident before the official release of the findings of the investigation team.

Soon after the mishap, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised the Ethiopian people that its cause would be officially publicized after meticulous investigation.

A fortnight ago, on the 16th of January a statue erected on the premises of Holy Trinity Cathedral in commemoration of the victims of the plane crash was officially inaugurated.

NewsDire Staff Writer