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ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — Eight Americans were among 150 people killed early Sunday when an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed shortly after takeoff near Addis Ababa. The airline confirmed that Flight 302 departed from the Ethiopian capital around 8:40 a.m. local time, bound for Nairobi, Kenya. Just six minutes later, Bole International Airport lost contact with the plane.
The pilot had issued a distress call before losing contact and was cleared to return, airline CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told reporters. It crashed near Bishoftu.
“The group CEO who is at the accident scene right now regrets to confirm that there are no survivors,” the airline wrote in an accident bulletin around 7:15 a.m. Eastern Time. “He expresses his profound sympathy and condolences to the families and loved ones of passengers and crew who lost their lives in this tragic accident.”
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The airline said it believes 157 people were on board, including 149 passengers.
The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately clear. The aircraft was a Boeing 737-8 MAX plane, The Associated Press reported, a new plane that was delivered just four months ago.
The plane showed unstable vertical speed after takeoff, according to air traffic monitor Flightradar 24. Visibility was clear.
Worried families gathered at the airport in Nairobi, the AP reported.
“I came to the airport to receive my brother but I have been told there is a problem,” Agnes Muilu said. “I just pray that he is safe or he was not on it.”
“Why are they taking us round and round, it is all over the news that the plane crashed,” said Edwin Ong’undi, who had been waiting for his sister. “All we are asking for is information to know about their fate.”
The aircraft last received maintenance Feb. 4 and had flown just 1,200 hours, AP reported. The pilot joined the airline in 2010.