Ethiopian Jet Carrying 90 Crashes off Lebanon

An Ethiopian Airlines plane with 90 people aboard crashed off the coast of Lebanon shortly after takeoff early today. Searching rescue crews recovered 34 bodies from the Mediterranean Sea, and no survivors were expected to be found. The cause was not immediately known, but authorities speculated the crash of the Boeing 737 may have been linked to stormy weather. "As of now, a sabotage act is unlikely. The investigation will uncover the cause," said Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

Among the passengers en route to Addis Ababa were the wife of the French ambassador to Lebanon. Passengers also included Lebanese, Syrians, Ethiopians, Canadians, Russians, Iraqis and British citizens. The plane disappeared from radar 5 minutes after takeoff from Beirut.
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