At least 22 UN employees among those dead in Ethiopian Airlines plane crash

NAIROBI: At least 22 UN employees were among those who lost their lives in the deadly plane crash, informed Maimunah Sharif, head of UN-Habitat, on Monday, during the fourth UN environment assembly held in Nairobi.

The flight crashed on Sunday morning shortly after take-off from the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, killing all 157 passengers, including four Indians, on board. A UN consultant attached with the environment ministry was among the four Indians.

“We will not forget this tragedy, nor those who perished. Let us reflect that our colleagues were willing to travel and to work far from their homes and loved ones to make the world a better place to live," said Sharif to the delegates at the United Nations Environment Assembly. Her speech was followed by a moment of silence by the UN delegates.

Acting executive director of UN environment Joyce Msuya also expressed condolences. "I express condolences to the victims and all those affected by the Ethiopian airlines crash yesterday. You are all in our thoughts this week," she said during her opening speech at the assembly.

The crash came on the eve of a major environment assembly of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi.

The flight was scheduled to land in Nairobi at 10:25 am, but crashed near Tulu Fara village outside Bishoftu in Ethiopia.

Over 4700 head of state, ministers from different countries, business leaders, senior UN officials and representatives from civil society have gathered at the assembly that is scheduled to take place from March 11 to March 15.