One year on, Ethiopian Boeing 737 MAX crash victims remembered

Addis Ababa, March 10, 2020 (FBC) -The first anniversary of the fatal Ethiopian Airlines accident was marked today.

Families and friends of victims of the crash paid tribute to their loved ones at the memorial site around Bishoftu, Oromia regional state.

It was a year ago that the Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Boing 737 MAX crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board.

Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed also paid tribute to the victims of the tragic accident:

A year ago today we lost 157 sacred lives in the #ET302 plane crash. As friends and family gather in #Ethiopia from all over the world to honor the memories of their loved ones, I pay tribute to the victims of this accident and wish their families continued strength.

— Abiy Ahmed Ali 🇪🇹 (@AbiyAhmedAli) March 10, 2020

The crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight was the second time a Boeing 737 Max plane had crashed in the space of just five months.

Ethiopia yesterday released an interim report on the accident. The 136-page report suggests that pilots faced challenge controlling the Boeing 737 MAX.

The report supports the initial findings by Ethiopian officials last April that Boeing’s Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) made it impossible for crew to regain control of the aircraft.