Guwahati: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that four Indians including a UN Consultant attached with the Environment Ministry were among those killed in a plane crash. The Nairobi bound Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed while taking off from Addis Ababa.
The Boeing 737 crashed minutes after an early morning take-off from Addis Ababa. The crash left all eight crew and 149 passengers on board dead including tourists, business travellers and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consultant attached with the Environment Ministry, Shikha Garg who was on her way to attend a United Nations Environment Programme meeting.
Sushma Swaraj on Sunday tweeted, "I am sorry to know about the unfortunate crash of Ethiopian Airlines plane ET 302. We have lost four Indian nationals in the air crash. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Ethiopia to provide all help and assistance to the bereaved families.
Swaraj further said that the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia has informed her that the deceased Indian nationals are identified as Vaidya Pannagesh Bhaskar, Vaidya Hansin Annagesh, Nukavarapu Manisha and Shikha Garg, the UN Consultant.
She also informed that she is trying to reach the families of other Indian nationals and urged people to help her reach the families of those killed. She also condoled the death of the Indian nationals.
Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted after the receiving the information of the crash, "Sadly, a UNDP consultant attached to my ministry @moefcc Ms Shikha Garg also died in the plane crash. My prayers for the departed souls."
It has been reported that people from 35 countries were on board flight ET 302 when it ploughed into a field 60 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopian Airlines informed that the plane had taken off at 8:38 am (0538 GMT) from Bole International Airport and 'lost contact' six minutes later.
The carrier which changed its logo on Twitter from its trademark green, yellow and red to black and white said that there are no survivors.
It has been reported by the Ethiopian Airlines that Kenya had the largest number of casualties with 32 followed by Canada with 18, Ethiopia nine, then Italy, China and the United States with eight each.
The Airlines also informed that Britain and France had seven people each on board, Egypt six and Germany five. Twelve countries in Africa and 14 in Europe had citizens among the victims.
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