Ethiopian plane crashes off Lebanon

Rescuers found bodies but no survivors during a massive search operation launched yesterday after an Ethiopian airliner carrying 90 people plunged flaming into the sea off Lebanon during a fierce storm.

Defence Minister Elias Murr blamed the bad weather for the early morning disaster which occurred minutes after takeoff and grim-faced officials played down hopes of anyone being found alive.

"We do hope but it's unlikely," Health Minister Mohamed Jawad Khalifeh said after planes and ships from a scrambled international task force scoured the site of the crash, recovering only bodies and debris.

By late afternoon, at least 24 bodies had been pulled from the sea, including that of a child.

One rescue official said that some of the victims recovered had been dismembered.

"The bodies found were apparently of passengers who did not have their seat belts on and who floated to the surface," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Divers are working to recover the bodies of those who had their seat belts and sank to the bottom of the sea."

The health ministry said it had set up a crisis unit in a bid to identify the victims through DNA tests or items of jewellery and personal belongings found on their persons.

Debris from the Boeing 737, which was headed to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, as well as luggage 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 2.35 a.m. (0035 GMT) in a heavy thunderstorm.

Mr Murr said it appeared the storm was to blame.

"Bad weather was apparently the cause of the crash," he told reporters. "We have ruled out foul play so far," he added, echoing comments earlier by President Michel Sleiman.

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.

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," Mr Aridi told reporters.

The Lebanese army, navy as well as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and aircraft from France, Britain, Cyprus and the US were assisting in the rescue, officials said.

Families of the passengers, some of them weeping uncontrollably, huddled at the VIP lounge of Beirut International Airport and at a state hospital to await news of their loved ones.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Parliament speaker Nabih Berri as well as a number of ministers and deputies rushed to the airport to comfort the families.

Mr Sleiman and a number of ministers also visited the families at the hospital to offer their condolences.

One woman sobbed and screamed "why, why?" as others fainted and had to be carried away by Red Cross volunteers.

"I know they won't find him," wailed one woman, referring to her husband who was on board the flight. "We are working with all the power we have to try and find missing people from this tragedy," Mr Hariri told reporters. "We are working to find the black box that will tell us what really happened on the plane."

A US naval destroyer, the USS Ramage, which specialises in rescue operations arrived at the site of the crash by 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) with advanced equipment and divers on board, a US embassy spokesman said.

"This should help speed up the search efforts during the night," Mr Murr said.