Pilot failed to respond to control tower directions

BEIRUT – The pilot of an Ethiopian aircraft that crashed off the Lebanese coast did not respond to a request to change direction before contact was cut, the Lebanese transport minister said yesterday. He said it was too early, however, to draw any conclusion of pilot error.

Ghazi Aridi said the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 made a sharp turn before disappearing off the radar early on Monday. A few minutes later, it plunged into the sea with 90 people on board, all of whom are feared dead.

“The control tower asked him to go in a certain direction, but the pilot was not responsive, then communication was cut off and the plane disappeared off the radar, said Mr Aridi.

“We don’t know why he did that or what happened.”

Lebanese and international search teams, including a US naval vessel as well as European and UN peacekeeping ships, helicopters, aircraft and divers scoured the Mediterranean coast for the victims and missing flight recorders.

Flight ET409 was carrying mostly Lebanese and Ethiopian passengers and was headed to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The aircraft apparently broke up before crashing in a ball of fire into the sea during a thunderstorm before dawn on Monday. Lebanese lawmaker Mohammad Qabbani, who met airport officials, said the pilot was responding “Yes” to the control tower’s orders to change direction but continued to move in the opposite direction.

The eight-year-old aircraft last underwent a maintenance check on December 25th, and no technical problems were found. – (Reuters)