Investigations have been launched into circumstances that led to the crashing of the ill-fated Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 that claimed lives of 157 people from various nationalities.

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 It has emerged that the pilot of the plane was highly experienced

According to airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam, the pilot Capitan Yared Mulugeta, an Ethiopian-born Kenyan national, has been flying the plane since 2007, which rules out the lack of experience among reasons behind the accident.

The CEO also revealed that the plane had been checked properly before leaving the airport to ensure no mechanical issues are experienced along the way.

The revelation comes after the government dispatched a special team led by Transport Permanent Secretary Esther Koimett to Ethiopia following the crash of Boeing B-737-800MAX, registration ET-AVJ. 

The team left the county after it was revealed all the travelers who had boarded the plane were dead. 

The airline management confirmed that 32 of victims are Kenyans, 18 Canadians, 6 Egyptians, 9 Ethiopians, 7 French, 8 Americans, and 7 Britons. 

The government has opened two emergency centers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to enable easy communication between the relatives as well as friends pending investigations into the crash. 

While addressing the press at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia revealed that the centers will make it possible for Kenyans to get information very fast.

 He noted that the centers are located at the four points by Sheraton Hotel and Terminal 1-D.

“The purpose of these centers is to provide the relatives, who we call meeters and greeters, with information as much as we have,” he said as quoted by Citizen.

 Several leaders from all over the world have sent their messages of goodwill to Ethiopia following the crash.