Somalia ‘deeply saddened’ by Ethiopia plane crash which killed 157

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali government sent condolences to government and people of Ethiopia following the Ethiopian Airline crash on Sunday which killed 157 people, including three Somalis, Garowe Online reports.

"I am saddened by the tragic accident on Flight ET302. On behalf of the government and the people of Somalia, I send my deepest condolences and sympathies," said Somali president in a Twitter post.

In a statement, Somalia's foreign ministry expressed solidarity with the government of Ethiopia, families & individuals in the aftermath of today’s traffic event.

Senior staff at Somali prime minister office, Abdishakur Mohamed Shahaad and two other Somali nationals the passengers perished in the ill-fated Ethiopian airlines crash on Sunday morning.

Late Shahaad who was a protocol officer at the PM's office for the last two years was on transit in Bole airport as he was returning from abroad to the Somali capital, Mogadishu via Nairobi.

Somali PM offered his condolences to the family and friends of the staffer.

"We’re deeply saddened to have learned of the tragedy involving Ethiopian Airlines passenger plane today. Our heartfelt thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families," Somali PM's office tweeted.

Meanwhile, Puntland has expressed deepest condolences to the government of Ethiopia and other countries following the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302.

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 on a regularly scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya crashed Sunday morning around Bishoftu, 47km away from the capital Addis Ababa, killing all the 149 passengers and 8 crew members on board.

The aircraft B-737-800MAX with registration number ET- AVJ took off at 08:38 am the local time from Addis Ababa, Bole International Airport and lost contact at 08:44 am.

There were no survivors in the crash. The victims were of 35 nationalities.

GAROWE ONLINE