after takeoff in stormy weather early on Monday, officials and witnesses said. A massive international search and rescue operation involving helicopters and ships was scrambled as President Michel Sleiman said there was no immediate suspicion foul play was involved and grim-faced officials played down hopes of any survivors.
A Lebanese security official said that by early afternoon at least 24 bodies had been pulled from the sea, including that of a child. One rescue official told AFP that some of the bodies recovered were dismembered while another said bodies were floating in the water.
The health ministry said it had set up a crisis unit in a bid to identify the victims trough DNA tests or items of jewellery found on their persons.
Debris from the Boeing 737, which was headed to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, as well as luggage and personal belongings could be seen washing up on the shoreline south of the capital.
A defence ministry official said the plane exploded into four pieces before crashing shortly after takeoff at 2:30 am (0030 GMT) in a heavy thunderstorm.
He said it was unclear what caused the crash.
Witnesses reported seeing flames as the plane plunged into the sea.
One employee of a gas station near the site of the crash said he heard an explosion and saw "a huge ball of fire" as the plane crashed.
Another witness said: "It was like the whole sea lit up."
Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi said Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 lost contact with the airport control tower shortly after takeoff and crashed into the Mediterranean sea 2.5 nautical miles off the coastal town of Naameh, south of the airport.
"The control tower was assisting the pilot of the plane on takeoff and suddenly lost contact for no known reason," Aridi told reporters.
The Lebanese army, navy as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and aircraft from France, Britain, Cyprus and the United States was assisting in the rescue, officials said.
Families of the passengers, some of them weeping uncontrollably, huddled at the VIP lounge of Beirut International Airport to await news of their loved ones.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri, parliament speaker Nabih Berri as well as a number of ministers and deputies were at the airport to comfort the families.
To all the passengers that were on the Ethiopian Boeing 737 flight 409, Rest In Peace, may your soul be with its creator. May God help their families and strengthen their hearts on this catastrophic accident. From http://www.allbestideas.com/
