埃塞俄比亚政府宣布星期一为全国哀悼日，之前一架载有90人的埃塞俄比亚航空公司飞机坠入地中海。埃塞俄比亚外交部在一份声明中说，总理梅莱斯对坠机事件表示震惊和悲痛。这架波音737飞机从贝鲁特起飞后不久坠毁。政府还下令全国降半旗。埃塞俄比亚在声明中说，坠机事件尚“没有确定解释”。事故发生在黎巴嫩首都附近，当时正有暴风雨天气。
埃塞俄比亚新闻社说，一个由该国医疗、航空和紧急反应部门的14人组成的调查小组正在前往贝鲁特协助当地调查人员。埃塞俄比亚航空公司首席执行官吉尔马. 维克对遇难者亲属表示最深切的哀悼。维克在声明中说，该公司以前从未因为维修故障或驾驶员失误而发生坠机。埃塞俄比亚航空公司上一次坠机发生在1996 年，当时是因为劫机；另外唯一一次坠机是在1988年，是由於小鸟飞进飞机引擎造成的。
The Ethiopian government has declared Monday a national day of mourning after an Ethiopian Airlines plane with 90 people on board crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. A statement from the country’s foreign affairs ministry says Prime Minister Meles Zenawi expressed shock and sadness over the crash, which took place after the Boeing 737 took off from Beirut. The government has also ordered flags to fly at half-staff. The Ethiopian statement says there is “no definitive explanation” for the crash near the Lebanese capital, which occurred during stormy weather.
The Ethiopian News Agency says an investigative team comprised of 14 people from the country’s medical, aviation and emergency response units is en route to Beirut to assist local investigators. Ethiopian Airlines’ chief executive officer Girma Wake extended his deepest sympathy to the families and friends of victims. Wake’s statement said the carrier has never suffered a crash because of faulty maintenance or pilot error. Ethiopian Airlines’ last crash was in 1996, during a hijacking; the line’s only other crash was in 1988, caused by birds that flew into an engine.