At least 12 UN staff killed in plane crash in Ethiopia

The scene of the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash, near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, on March 10. Photo: AFP-TTXVN

At least 12 people associated with the United Nations were killed in an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 10, a United Nations source said.

Freelance interpreters on their way to a United Nations environmental conference may also be among the victims of the crash, sources said.

Officials say 157 people were killed when a Boeing 737 crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi, Kenya, where a United Nations conference was being held.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines announced on March 10 that the country's authorities, along with the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing and related parties, will coordinate to investigate the cause of the plane crash that morning, after the plane took off from the capital Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya.

The airline's new statement also said that the families of 157 victims have been contacted and the bodies will be returned to their families after they are identified. The victims came from 35 countries.

On the same day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other senior German officials sent their condolences to the relatives of the victims of the plane crash in Ethiopia. Five German citizens died in the accident.

According to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, the German Embassy in Addis Ababa is in close contact with Ethiopian authorities.

Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland expressed regret over the horrific accident that killed 18 of her citizens among the 157 victims.

She sent her condolences to the families of the victims and said the Canadian government was "in close contact" with Ethiopian officials to gather more information.