Ethiopian crash jet flight recorders found off Lebanon

The "black box" flight recorders from a passenger jet which crashed off the coast of Lebanon two days ago have been found, officials say.

A search team located the recorders from the Ethiopian Airlines flight just over 1.3km (0.8 miles) underwater, 10km west of the capital, Beirut.

The search team is now trying to retrieve them, Lebanese security officials said.

All 90 people on board the flight are presumed dead following the crash.

At least 24 bodies have been pulled from the sea so far.

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, bound for Addis Ababa, crashed into the Mediterranean minutes after take-off from Beirut at 0237 (0037 GMT) during a severe thunderstorm on Monday
Witnesses said they saw the plane plummet into the sea in flames.

The international search operation has included Lebanese navy troops and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) as well as US navy destroyer USS Ramage and a civilian vessel from Cyprus with sonar equipment.

The cause of the crash is not yet known, however Lebanese officials have said the jet did not fly in the direction instructed by the Beirut control tower.

The officials said the pilot had been asked to correct his course, but turned in the opposite direction.

Seven crew and 83 passengers were on board the Boeing 737-800. Most were Lebanese or Ethiopian.

Marla Pietton, the wife of the French ambassador in Beirut, was among those on board.

BBC

Blakk Rasta to Storm Ethiopia on Rastafarian pilgrimage

Ghana’s reggae superstar Blakk Rasta will be one of the headline acts at the forthcoming reggae festival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The festival, which comes off on the 6th of February, commemorates the birth of the reggae legend, Bob Marley.

Blakk Rasta is scheduled to present two speeches on pan africanism and two musical performances at the event, which he describes as a “pilgrimage” for the Rastafarian fraternity.

In attendance will be Rita Marley, wife of the late Bob Marley, and organisers say this year’s event - themed “Towards One Africa” - will be the biggest since its inceptions decades ago.

The Ghanaian-born reggae sensation of Barack Obama fame, told Myjoyonline.com, his selection to deliver a speech is rather humbling.

Organisers say Blakk Rasta’s song, which he released in the lead-up to the United States elections in 2008, has received wide acceptance in Ethiopia.

Indeed, his song received airplay and reviews many international media outlets, including the CNN, BBC and the New York Times.

Blakk Rasta, who holds a Bachelor’s in Land Economics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has been on the reggae music scene for years but had been a virtual unknown until his pro-Obama anthem threw him into the limelight.

He told Myjoyonline.com the Ghana Embassy in Addis Ababa will host him after a ceremony that will welcome him as the participant from Ghana.

The Ethiopian invitation comes weeks after a recent show in Amsterdam, which drew a massive crowd, and a scheduled tour of the Caribbean, which he cancelled.

The HITZ FM Taxi Driver presenter has raised the standard of reggae music in the country, making him a ‘connoisseur of reggae music in GH,’ one fan said.


Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Source joyonline

Flight ET409 Exposes Lebanon's Racist Underbelly

Patrick GaleyReporter based in Beirut, Lebanon

Even though there were nine nationalities aboard the Boeing 737 jet which burst into flames and crashed into the sea minutes after taking off in a violent thunderstorm on Monday morning, the Lebanese, naturally enough, only concerned themselves with one.

54 Lebanese, almost all from the country's predominately Shiite southern region, are probably dead and the nation's outpouring of grief has been intense.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri declared Monday to be a national day of mourning for the victims; the education minister closed institutions for two days as a mark of respect.

The funeral of a southern businessman, who worked for a food import country in Angola, attracted international media attention, with veiled women throwing themselves on the coffin.

Distraught friends and relatives are still thronging a hospital in southern Beirut, waiting to identify mangled bodies being dragged from the eastern Mediterranean.

The search for the plane's black box is continuing, with families of victims waiting anxiously for clues on what befell flight ET409 in the seconds before disappearing off radar screens for good.

As with any air disaster in a post 9/11 world, terrorism has been raised as a possible cause, with several Lebanese dailies carrying uncorroborated allegations that the crash was the result of a "deliberate attack."

Whatever the cause of the disaster, it has exposed the uncomfortable and often unuttered truth that many Lebanese are still virulently racist.

23 migrant domestic workers from Ethiopia were onboard the ill-fated flight, along with at least seven airline crew members. The pilot was also Ethiopian.

In the absence of concrete facts, Lebanon's transport minister suggested that pilot error may have downed the plane, with the jet having undertaking "a very strange and fast turn" seconds before crashing.

This was all the information many media outlets needed. Naharnet, an English-language news site to be read with a shovelful of salt, carried the offensive headline: "Ethiopian pilot flew wrong way!"

The complete lack of evidence aside, it is certain that no such exclamatory tone would have been used if the pilot were Lebanese.

The inference here is simple: an Ethiopian pilot - silly him - ignored the learned Lebanese air traffic controllers (who have an exemplary record for departure punctuality) and his mad error killed 90 people.

Such scandalous journalese, however, pales in comparison to the appalling treatment of friends and relatives of Ethiopian passengers.

At Rafik Hariri International Airport, while wailing Lebanese family members were consoled by round after round of politicians, offered food and drink and drip fed information on victims as and when it was received, Ethiopian concerned were sidelined totally.

Desperate women, dressed in the scrubs which often adorn domestic workers, pleaded with authorities for information only to be shepherded into a separate room from Lebanese mourners.

DNA databases that will be used to identify mangled corpses are only being compiled from Lebanese blood samples. No Ethiopian has been asked to participate, even if relatives were on board.

A normally well-respected broadcaster conducted a live piece to camera outside a hospital with their Beirut correspondent on Monday night.

An Ethiopian, wracked with grief, unwittingly wondered into shot only to be literally hauled out of view by the Lebanese crew. Had she been Lebanese, it is unthinkable she would have been treated like this.

Much has been written on the plight of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon. The relatives of one Ethiopian victim said that their daughter was on the way home to Addis Ababa for good after years of being beaten by employers.

To witness the neglect of friends and relatives left behind in Lebanon will offer Ethiopian families no comfort.

The BBC even commissioned a special report on the Lebanese diasporas in Western Africa. No such article was mooted for the reverse demographic.

It is entirely understandable for news agencies and civilians to take interest in their own nationals during times like this.

But to systematically sideline, even vilify Ethiopian victims, many of whom would have led a pitiful existence in Lebanon in domestic servitude, exudes exactly the opposite of the mercy relatives of Lebanese victims are pleading for.

In times of disaster, people let down their guard. The disaster of flight ET409 showed large parts of Lebanese society for what it is.

The Huffington Post

Profile: Ethiopian Airlines

Unlike many African airlines, Ethiopian Airlines has a good safety record.

The last time one of the airline's planes crashed was in 1996 when a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel after being hijacked while flying from Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, to Nairobi in Kenya.

It ditched into the sea off the Comoros Islands, with the loss of 123 passengers and crew out of 175 people on board.

In 1988, an Ethiopian Airlines 737 struck a flock of pigeons after take-off in Bahar Dar, Ethiopia. Thirty-one people were killed when the plane crash-landed on returning to the airport.

The state-owned airline flies to more destinations in Africa than any other airline, making it a popular carrier in a continent where many airlines fly only from their home country to destinations outside Africa.

Free from politics

Along with South African and Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines is widely considered to be among sub-Saharan Africa's best operators, but many passengers have complained of frequent delays.

One of Africa's few profitable airlines, it has recently added flights to China and India. The airline also planned to add flights to Shanghai, Madras (Chennai) and Bangalore, chief executive Girma Wake told Reuters news agency.

The airline uses mostly Boeing aircraft and announced earlier in January plans to buy 10 of the new 737-800 model at a cost of about $750m (£464m).

It was the first African airline to order the 787 Dreamliner and the long-range 777-200LR models.

It was founded in 1945 by Emperor Haile Selassie. Some say the emperor hoped that having a good quality national airline would help Ethiopia shake off its poverty-stricken image.

The airline remains 100%-owned by the Ethiopian government but it has generally been free from political interference.

The BBC's Uduak Amimo in Addis Ababa says that Ethiopian government officials pay for their flights on Ethiopian Airlines - unlike in other African countries whose national carriers have been bankrupted by officials and their cronies using them as their personal jets.

BBC

Facts about Ethiopian Airlines

Nairobi - Ethiopian Airlines, whose jet crashed on Monday after takeoff from Beirut, is one of Africa's fastest growing airlines and has had a good safety record for more than a decade.

The carrier started operations in 1946, a year after it was founded, and is considered to be among a trio of sub-Saharan aviation giants, alongside South African Airways and Kenya Airways.

It serves 56 international destinations with 210 weekly international departures from its Addis Ababa hub and a total of 555 weekly international departures worldwide.

On its website the company says it hopes to increase revenue to $1bn and to increase the number of destinations it serves to 60 in 2010.

Ethiopian Airlines, which say it employs more than 5 000 people, currently has a fleet of 37 aircraft and 35 more on order.

Last week Boeing said that Ethiopian had ordered 10 737-800 jets, in a deal valued at $767m.

Other major security incidents

Until Flight 409 lost contact with Beirut airport control shortly after takeoff early Monday and crashed into the Mediterranean, Ethiopian had a better safety record than any other African airline, with the exception of South African Airways, industry sources said.

Apart from an emergency landing earlier this month that left no casualties, the two incidents involving the company go back more than 10 years.

Earlier this month one of the company's 757s made an emergency landing at Malta's airport while on its way from Addis Ababa to Rome. The pilot reported a problem with one of the two engines. The passengers continued their journey via London Heathrow while the plane and its crew remained in Malta.

Other major security incidents involving Ethiopian Airlines go back more than a decade.

In November 1996 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 was hijacked between Addis Ababa and Nairobi by three Ethiopians seeking political asylum. The aircraft crashed into the Indian Ocean off the Comoros when it ran out of fuel, killing 125 of the 175 people on board.

In September 1988 one of the airline's Boeing 737s made a crash landing at Bahar Dar in Ethiopia after birds entered both engines during takeoff. Thirty one of the 105 people on board were killed.



- AFP

More on Ethiopian plane Crash

The illegeal controband unregistered items put on these planes makes the plane carry more weight than the actual standard set by the plane manufacturers. In addition to the fact that the pilots are over worked , most planes are overloaded which is thge main cause for deteriorateing of the planes.Mr. Siye Abraha’s rebel group overthrown the government of Ethiopia in 1991.After 1991 Siye Abraha gotr a post ofthe Defence minister of Ethipia plus Board Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines .Mr.Siye Abraha adminstration installed corrupt , unprofessional and with no work ethics gangsters from top positions to bottom in EAL which are still runing things.The EAL management practice has been clearly designed to benefit few individuals at the cost of the whole country’s economy and reputation.The customs and luggage handling ring abuses the planes , customers properties , rules and regulation to get money and management looks the other way.
I am not a disgruntled Pilot or seeking revenge. This is what was waiting to happen to Ethiopian Airlines in the shadows. As they say it ‘Yetatekut Suri Sirotu yefeal” . Ethiopian airlines is led by a so called COO who is incapable , corny appointed , no credential , severe lack of experience and no knowledge of the aviation or flying side of the business.
These individuals and his cronies who he has appointed by eliminating anybody that is against his philosophy or anyone who he thinks is blocking his path to his final frontier to become the CEO ofthe Airline by replacing the ageing legendary and visionary Ato Girma Wake. This man or so called C.O.O has bent the rules by allowing or intimidating pilots to fly beyond regulation allowed hours, a pilot body working like salves with no collective agreement, Glorifying and talking in public about pilots that he personally has intimidated to violate flight and duty times, scolding and degrading staff in public and the list goes on. If employees were given the right to talk without repercussion today this man will be sent to jail for life for his crimes. Who is this man?? From what I have discovered before I leftthe airline : that he brags of a degree that he obtained thru on line correspondence while he was the area manager in New York. There are eye witnesses that testify his degrees are plagiarized and someone had to take the entire test and classes for him. He has no experience as COO or running neither flight department nor M&E etc… He is the head and decision maker in these departments. He has made comments to the media out of his no knowledge capacity that disgraces the pilots ofEthiopian Airlines . This man is pushing Department heads of the Flt operations to upgrade pilots without proper qualifications. An example is: a Pilot to be upgraded needs 9 to 10 hours of training in the simulator other than the CBT and ground school he or she takes according to the regulation. But this man has pushed department heads to give incapable and not ready Pilot candidates to upgrade by allowing or forcing to give those additional hours to some up to 30 hours to prepare them for command ship. His expansion vision that he brags about does not have substance. As pilots’ are intimidated to fly over 100 hours where regulation states 70 to 80 hours is ample. Pilots are intimidated and warned of losing their jobs if they ask for vacation. He forces pilots to take money instead of their hard earned and well deserved vacation time. I had an accumulated vacation time of 6 years that I could not take. Every time I asked as was told which I know it came directly from him that I am not a team player and I should expect repercussion in the future.. The list goes on. If you think I am fabricating these story please talk discretely to some of the pilots and you will hear all the horror stories since this guy took office. For your information most of the pilots are flying hoping they will get my kind of opportunity one day. It is not that we hate our Airline or don’t care for its growth; it is just that this man is making allEthiopian Airlines employees life hell on earth with his cronies.
Supply and demand of Pilots and leased airplanes:
He brags about the expansion plan he has drafted which is the result what just occurred yesterday. Pilots are flying tired and fatigues. An Ethiopian Airlines had a recent incident were both crew members fall asleep and flew into Italian airspace without clearance because of severe lack of sleep and rest time . He is buying and leasing Airplanes that should not fly because of wear and tear previous mechanical problems etc… His only vision of expansion as I said has no substance because he has no plans how he is going to fill all the slots with pilots. He is constantly advertising for pilots which I don’t have any objection if it helps the Airline grow. But most of them are leaving after 4 to 5 month service because they could not stand his heat or working condition. He is hoping by this dangerous vision he will have the vote of confidence to gain the CEO position once the current leader leaves. I can only say once this happens Ethiopian Airlines might as well expect tragedies after tragedy. I hope and pray that does not happen, just for the sake of this conglomerate Airline with its great safety records and for the sake of the pilots and x ET employees and current employees.

Pilot’s grief and mishandling:
Pilots and cabin Crew members are voicing their grief when we see them on their stop over abroad. Our heart sinks with sorrow when we hear their stories. How some of them have not seen their family or children for days. How some of them fear for their jobs as they are intimidated day in day out by this person’s cronies. Let all Ethiopians be aware that I love my Airline and will go back to fly for Ethiopian in a heartbeat. I have plenty of years left. I am out here flying for a foreign Airline because of the mishandling and violation of Pilots rights. I am sure he might argue saying he is paying pilots more than anybody in the country. Bloggers they deserve every penny they get. They are still under paid. He is hiring foreign pilots way more than what he pays the locals. All the pilots know his deed but the saddest thing is they don’t have anywhere to go. He has blocked their license or will not allow them to resign. He will ask them to fork their training sometimes up to $500, 000 Birr plus he threatens them that he will have all the property and their parents or relatives property confiscated if they don’t pay and so on. I will write next time how I left. It was the saddest day in my life to leave my Airline but I had to as so many are waiting in the shadows to-do the same.
Bloggers again I am not a disgruntled former employee I am just voicing my opinion and hope fully I am been the voice of so many that are suffocating and still flying because they don’t have no choice. I pray for the Crew and passengers that perished on ET flight 409. But I will say it again this was looming in the shadows to happen. I hope this will be the end of it and Ethiopian will have a capable and experienced individual to run as COO who has authority over the Flight operations department again. Long live Ethiopian Airlines and the staff that are tirelessly fighting for its survival and God Bless Ethiopia.

Source click


Posted by MULUNEH | January 26, 2010, 1:37 am

Decades on, fear of hunger still looms large for Ethiopian people

Severe “food insecurity” in Ethiopia has put an estimated 4.8 million people at risk

HRAYKEDENEW would prefer to forget the dark days of 1985 but sometimes the memories tumble forth unbidden.

She remembers her family, desperate for anything that would fill their stomachs, boiling strips of leather to make it easier to swallow. Weeks later, as the final stages of starvation set in, her parents lay down on their bed and never got up again. Three of her siblings also perished.

Hraykedenew (37) still lives in Korem, the highland town that became synonymous with Ethiopia’s devastating famine 25 years ago after the BBC’s Michael Buerk arrived to discover what he famously described as a “biblical famine, now, in the 20th century”. Hraykedenew is married with six children.

“We are living a better life,” she says. “We pray to God we will not see days like that again.”

Ethiopia’s famine ended with nearly 1 million dead, and while the country has experienced much political and economic change in the decades since, the fear of hunger has never really gone away in this, sub-Saharan Africa’s second most-populous nation. Korem today has all the appearance of a thriving town, with boisterous children spilling from gaily painted houses ringed by lush fields of maize and barley, but the surrounding region of Tigray is one of several pockets of Ethiopia where food shortages are a familiar reality – a situation many believe will worsen this year.

In December the Ethiopian government identified an estimated 4.8 million people who will need emergency food assistance from January to June.

That is in addition to more than 7 million people who depend on a government-managed but foreign-funded “safety net” programme that supplies food in exchange for work.

“The current situation is far from qualifying as a famine as some media outlets have stated but there is severe food insecurity in certain areas,” says Judith Schuler of the World Food Programme. “We expect a deterioration of the situation within the next six months.”

The effect of successive seasons of failed rains goes some way in explaining why Ethiopia finds itself in this current predicament, but even when the rains come and harvests are bountiful, nearly one tenth of its people rely on food aid to survive. Other deeper, structural – and much debated – factors are at play, including rapid population growth and the impact of government land policy.

Since the 1980s famine, Ethiopia’s population has doubled to almost 80 million.

In a country where some 85 per cent rely on farming for a living, using methods unchanged over centuries, this means farm holdings have become smaller and smaller, and meagre harvests must be stretched further.

Some analysts argue that efforts to boost agricultural development are hamstrung by 1990s legislation that put all land under state ownership, a policy they say discourages initiative and stifles productivity.

The issue of food security can be a prickly one in Ethiopia, with many Ethiopians resentful that their country’s name still conjures up images of famine and war in the wider world, particularly at a time when it is attracting tentative but growing interest from foreign investors.

Prime minister Meles Zenawi points to overall economic growth rates of more than 7 per cent per year. He argues that efforts to boost agriculture are bearing fruit, noting that areas where there is generally adequate rainfall have experienced sustained growth in agricultural production for several years. But that, he admits, is not enough.

“We ought to and we should be able to also break this structural bottleneck in the drought-affected areas. The reason we have not achieved that is primarily because it takes a lot of money ... to kickstart development in those areas,” he told The Irish Times .

“We are making those investments and they are beginning to make a difference but it is not fast enough. Unless you break the structural barriers you will always be in this whirlwind of emergency programmes. We have done much of the work but not all of it. We need to do the rest.”

On the population issue – described to me by one development worker in Addis Ababa as “the elephant in the room” – Meles acknowledges the need for a “sensible population policy” and insists that it is already in place. “Population growth rates in Ethiopia are beginning to come down and we will maintain that policy – not because we believe in this doomsday scenario of Ethiopia being unable to feed anything more than 80 million people, but because we believe that a stable process of population growth – rather than the massive growth we had – could be brought about in Ethiopia, and such an environment would be many times more conducive to not only feeding Ethiopians but making them prosperous. After all, that is the ultimate objective

Source Irish Times