Ethiopian airliner 'ignored storm warnings before crash'

Date: 27/1/2010

An Ethiopian airliner that crashed off Lebanon this week flew into violent storms despite controllers' instructions to avoid them, it has been reported.

The Ethiopian Airlines 737 crashed into the Mediterranean killing all 90 passengers on board, including two Britons.

According to Lebanese defence minister Elias Murr, the pilot was given instructions to avoid the storm, but nevertheless flew straight into it.
It is unclear what happened or whether the plane was beyond the pilot's control, he added.

A mid-air explosion and engine fire had previously been cited as possible explanations for the crash, but the nearby thunderstorms now seem a more likely cause.

Among the 90 passengers and crew, 54 were Lebanese, 20 Ethiopian and two French.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has revealed the plan that crashed was used by the airline until last April on a number of its European routes.

It had logged 17,750 flight hours in its seven years of service.