Ethiopian Airlines crash

An Ethiopian airline crashed in a ball of fire into the Mediterranean with 90 people aboard.

Read the full story from BBC News...

Two Britons on Ethiopian Airlines crash plane

Two Britons were on board an Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed shortly after take-off from the Lebanese capital Beirut, it has been confirmed.

The Boeing 737 bound for Addis Ababa in Ethiopia fell into the Mediterranean in a ball of fire with 90 people on board.

At least 21 bodies have been recovered, and there has been no news of anyone surviving the crash.

The Foreign Office said one British national and one with dual nationality were on board Flight ET409.

A British RAF helicopter, based in Cyprus, has joined the Lebanese authorities' search-and-rescue operation.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Our thoughts are with the families of all those involved in this tragedy."

No further details about the two people would be released until next of kin had been informed, the spokeswoman added.

Passenger list

Ethiopian Airlines said there were 82 passengers and 8 crew on board the flight.

The passenger list included two Britons, 51 Lebanese, 23 Ethiopians, and one person each from Canada, France, Russia, Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
Map

The cause of the crash is being investigated, but police have ruled out terrorism.

Lebanon's transport minister Ghazi Aridi said the plane took off at about 0230 local time (0030 GMT), before crashing two miles off the coast.

An Ethiopian Airlines statement said: "A team is already working on gathering all pertinent information.

"An investigative team has already been dispatched to the scene and we will release further information as further updates are received."

The Foreign Office said British nationals requiring consular assistance should contact its office on 00961 (0) 3 345520.