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U.N. and Other Humanitarian Workers Were Among Those Killed in Ethiopian Airlines Plane Crash 19 U.N. Workers Were Among Those Killed in Ethiopian Airlines Plane Crash
(32 minutes later)
World leaders and citizens from over 30 countries mourned the loss of those aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed on Sunday, including several aid workers from United Nations agencies and other humanitarian organizations. The flight route from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, to Nairobi, Kenya, is sometimes referred to as a “U.N. shuttle” because of how often United Nations staff members take it.
The crash, which occurred shortly after the plane departed from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, for Nairobi, Kenya, killed at least 150 people. The dead included at least 32 Kenyans; 18 Canadians; nine Ethiopians; eight each from the United States, China and Italy; and seven each from France and Britain, the airline said. On Sunday, when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 plummeted to the ground shortly after takeoff, killing more than 150 people, the plane had a particularly high concentration of United Nations employees: At least 19 staff members died in the crash, the United Nations said in a statement.
At the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, distraught family members and friends made their way to an emergency center set up by the authorities at a nearby hotel. The airline said the flight had passengers from at least 30 countries, some of whom were aid workers for other humanitarian organizations.
Condolences poured in from around the world as details about those aboard gradually came to light. Many of the dead were aid workers traveling on a flight that is sometimes called the “U.N. shuttle” because of its frequent use by employees of United Nations agencies. The dead included at least 32 Kenyans; 18 Canadians; nine each from Ethiopia and France; eight each from the United States, China and Italy; and seven from Britain, according to the airline, officials and news accounts. The identities of many of the victims, including the Americans, have not been released.
United Nations officials were trying to confirm whether some of the passengers were heading to Nairobi for a session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, described as the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. The event, scheduled to start on Monday, convenes representatives from United Nations member states to solve environmental problems. The World Food Program of the United Nations said seven of its employees died. Six employees from the United Nations office in Nairobi were killed, the organization said, as well as two each from its Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights and the International Telecommunications Union.
A spokesman for António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, said the United Nations was working with the Ethiopian authorities to establish the identities of its employees who were aboard the flight. Addis Ababa and Nairobi are home to United Nations offices. But the flight between the cities may have been carrying a particularly high number of United Nations workers because it was the day before a session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, described as the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. The event, which starts on Monday, brings together representatives from United Nations member states to address environmental problems.
The executive director of the World Food Program, a United Nations organization, said in a tweet that staff members from the group were among the dead. Aid workers from at least one other United Nations agency, Catholic Relief Services and other organizations were also aboard the plane. A spokesman for António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, said the organization was working with the Ethiopian authorities to establish the identities of its employees aboard the flight.
Tamirat Mulu Demessie, a child protection specialist from Ethiopia who worked for the nonprofit Save the Children, was one of the victims, according to a statement from the organization. Mr. Demessie worked with programs for children affected by violence and helped reunite children with their families during emergencies. A British citizen, Joanna Toole, was on her way to the environmental assembly as a representative of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, according to a tweet from the head of her department, fisheries and aquaculture.
A Nairobi-based staff member with the United Nations Environment Program and an employee of Aviation Industry Corporation of China were two of the Chinese citizens killed, according to a list of victims provided by the country’s embassy in Kenya, The Global Times reported.
Among those killed were members of nonprofit and humanitarian groups.
Tamirat Mulu Demessie, a child protection specialist from Ethiopia who worked for the nonprofit Save the Children, was killed, according to a statement from the organization. Mr. Demessie worked with programs for children affected by violence and helped reunite children with their families during emergencies.
“He often sacrificed time with his own family and children to live out his passion for protection work,” said Lara Martin, a friend and former colleague. “He challenged and empowered everyone that worked with him to do more for children, holding perpetrators accountable.”“He often sacrificed time with his own family and children to live out his passion for protection work,” said Lara Martin, a friend and former colleague. “He challenged and empowered everyone that worked with him to do more for children, holding perpetrators accountable.”
Among the dead from Italy were Paolo Dieci, a founder of the nongovernmental organization International Committee for the Development of Peoples; Maria Pilar Buzzetti and Virginia Chimenti, employees of the World Food Program; and Sebastian Tusa, a councilor of cultural heritage from Sicily. Mr. Tusa was traveling to Malindi, Kenya, to attend a Unesco conference on safeguarding underwater cultural heritage in Eastern Africa.
Carlo Spini, the president of a nongovernmental organization called Africa Tremila; his wife, Gabriella Vigiani; and another official from the group, Matteo Ravasio, were also victims.
A chief executive who oversaw the Tamarind Group, a company that operates restaurants and hospitality establishments in Kenya, was also among those killed, according to a Facebook post by the Tamarind Tree Hotel. The hotel announced the death of the chief executive, Jonathan Seex, with “immense shock and grief.”A chief executive who oversaw the Tamarind Group, a company that operates restaurants and hospitality establishments in Kenya, was also among those killed, according to a Facebook post by the Tamarind Tree Hotel. The hotel announced the death of the chief executive, Jonathan Seex, with “immense shock and grief.”
The airline identified the pilot as Yared Getachew and the first officer as Ahmednur Mohammed. It said Mr. Getachew had more than 8,000 flight hours and described his performance as “commendable.”
Chinese news websites said that the eight Chinese killed included tourists and businesspeople.Chinese news websites said that the eight Chinese killed included tourists and businesspeople.
One was Zhou Yuan, a worker for the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, which sells electronics, communications and security technology for civilian and military needs, The Beijing News reported, citing an official for the corporation.One was Zhou Yuan, a worker for the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, which sells electronics, communications and security technology for civilian and military needs, The Beijing News reported, citing an official for the corporation.
A Nairobi-based staff member with the United Nations Environment Program and an employee of Aviation Industry Corporation of China were also among the dead, according to a list of victims provided by the Chinese embassy in Kenya, The Global Times reported. A Serbian state news agency said Djordje Vdovic of Serbia, who worked at the World Food Program, was also killed. Michael Ryan, an Irish citizen who worked for the organization, was also on the flight, according to an Irish news site, RTÉ News.
Among the dead from Italy was a councilor of cultural heritage from Sicily, Sebastian Tusa; the founder of the nongovernmental organization International Committee for the Development of Peoples, Paolo Dieci; and two employees of the World Food Program, Maria Pilar Buzzetti and Virginia Chimenti.
Carlo Spino, the president of a nongovernmental organization called Africa Tremila; his wife, Gabriella Vigiani; and another official from the group, Matteo Ravasio, were also victims.
A Serbian state news agency said Djordje Vdovic of Serbia, who worked at the World Food Program, was also killed. Michael Ryan, an Irish citizen who worked for the organization, was also on the flight, according to an Irish news site, RTE News.
The Russian Embassy confirmed the death of three Russian citizens: Yekaterina Polyakova, Aleksandr Polyakov and Sergei Vyalikov.The Russian Embassy confirmed the death of three Russian citizens: Yekaterina Polyakova, Aleksandr Polyakov and Sergei Vyalikov.
Anton Hrnko, a member of the Slovakian parliament, said on Facebook that his wife Blanka, his son Martin and his daughter Michala died in the crash. Anton Hrnko, a member of the Slovakian parliament, said on Facebook that his wife, Blanka; his son Martin; and his daughter Michala died in the crash.
The airline identified the pilot as Yared Getachew and the first officer as Ahmednur Mohammed. It said Mr. Getachew had more than 8,000 flight hours and described his performance as “commendable.” A statement from his family said that Mr. Getachew, 29, was a “confident captain” and that it was “incredibly proud of his achievements.”
Pius Adesanmi, a professor with the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, was among the victims from Canada, the university confirmed. Professor Adesanmi, who was also associated with the university’s English department, was a prominent public intellectual in his native Nigeria, where he regularly published political essays.
Professor Adesanmi, who held both Canadian and Nigerian citizenship, was injured last year in a serious car crash in Nigeria. Before Sunday’s flight, he posted on Facebook a photo of himself holding his Canadian passport, along with the text of Psalm 139:9-10.
“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,” the post read, “even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”