• Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Email
Saturday, May 31, 2025
  • Login
TheMattersPress
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Thematterspress
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Photo
    • Video
  • About us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Thematterspress
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Photo
    • Video
  • About us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
TheMattersPress
No Result
View All Result
Home News

19 UN’s staff, 2 Nigerians die in plane crash

The Matters Press by The Matters Press
March 11, 2019
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
19 UN’s staff, 2 Nigerians die in plane crash

Wreckage of Ethiopian airlines place

Wreckage of Ethiopian airlines place

No fewer than 19 United Nations officials, two Nigerians, were aboard the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed on Sunday killing all 157 people.

RELATED POSTS

Senate’s stance on Nigeria’s Legislature-Executive Relationship, thrilling

Tinubu explains mission as he marks second year in office

Increasing oil rigs, a big score for Nigeria’s petroleum sector reforms

According to the UN Department of Safety and Security in Kenya, the World Food Programme (WFP) lost six staff, the Office of the High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) lost two, as did the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in South Sudan, World Bank and UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) each lost one staff member.

Six staff from the UN Office in Nairobi (UNON) also died.

Amb. Abiodun Bashua, a retired Nigerian career ambassador, who was until his death, working on contract with the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (UNECA), died in the crash, alongside Canada-based Nigerian professor at Carleton University, Pius Adesanmi.

As a mark of respect IOM said it would “fly its flag at half-mast at its offices on Monday, as will the UN and its agencies”.

The Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed shortly after take off from the capital Addis Ababa on Sunday, killing 157 people on board.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply saddened at the tragic loss of lives”, as reports emerged that UN staff were also among the dead.

The Boeing airliner bound for the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, took off at 8:38 a.m. local time, losing contact with air traffic control at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, just six minutes later, according to news reports.
Part of the crashed Ethiopian Airlines plane on Sunday

The plane was reportedly carrying passengers from more than 35 different countries.

The cause of the disaster is not yet known, although weather conditions were reportedly good and the plane went down in a field near Bishoftu, around 35 miles southeast of the capital.

The UN chief conveyed his “heartfelt sympathies and solidarity to the victims’ families and loved ones, including those of United Nations staff members, as well as sincere condolences to the Government and people of Ethiopia”.

The UN is in contact with the Ethiopian authorities and “working closely with them to establish the details of United Nations personnel who lost their lives in this tragedy” the Secretary-General stated.

The disaster happened on the eve of the UN Environment Assembly when Heads of State, environment ministers and thousands of others will convene for five days in the Kenyan capital.

Many senior UN officials took to Social Media to express their condolences and sadness.

On Twitter, José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO,) sent his “heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families”, saying that one FAO staff member was among the victims.

Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley tweeted that “the WFP family mourns today”, revealing that WFP staff were also among those on board the flight.

“We will do all that is humanly possible to help the families at this painful time. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers”, he said.

Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary General tweeted his “sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the plane crash”.

Noting that two ITU staff were on the flight, he said: “Our colleagues in Addis are providing support to their families during this difficult time.”

“All of us at UNICEF mourn the tragic loss of our UN colleagues and all those who died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash today.

“May they rest in peace. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones”, Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, tweeted.

On behalf of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), whose Headquarters are in Nairobi, Executive Director Maimunah Sharif tweeted her “deepest condolences and prayers to the Great Nation of Ethiopia and to the families of the passengers and crew members who lost their lives in this tragedy.

“May they rest in eternal peace,” Sharif said.

High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi issued a condolence statement saying: “UNHCR has suffered today a huge loss”.

IOM Director-General António Vitorino issued a statement expressing his deep sadness over the 157 lives lost, “including a young IOM staff member Anne-Katrin Feigl”, who “was en route to a training course in Nairobi as part of her role as a Junior Professional Officer”.

Catherine Northing, Chief of the IOM Mission in Sudan where Feigl worked, called her “an extremely valued colleague and popular staff member, committed and professional”, saying “her tragic passing has left a big hole and we will all miss her greatly”

Tags: Ethiopian Airlines planePlane crash
ShareTweetPin
The Matters Press

The Matters Press

Related Posts

Senate probes $3.5b with NNPC
Economy/Technology

Senate’s stance on Nigeria’s Legislature-Executive Relationship, thrilling

May 30, 2025
Nigerians to own brand new vehicles, goods through new credit scheme initiative
Economy/Technology

Tinubu explains mission as he marks second year in office

May 29, 2025
Chevron, NNPC secure $1.4bn for drilling project
Economy/Technology

Increasing oil rigs, a big score for Nigeria’s petroleum sector reforms

May 26, 2025
Group hails Presidential Council initiative, welcomes President Tinubu’s N2tn stabilisation package
Economy/Technology

Pope’s invitation to Tinubu reflects Nigeria’s relevance in global affairs -TMSG

May 24, 2025
Tinubu steering Nigeria away from Venezuela-like tragedy – IMPI
Economy/Technology

Tinubu espouses Nigeria’s unity, diversity at Pope Leo’s inauguration

May 22, 2025
Eulogising Africa’s efforts in midwifing a Covid-19 vaccine
Economy/Technology

Nigeria’s ongoing health reform gets global endorsement with Pate’s honour by Time Magazine

May 21, 2025
Next Post
Air Peace’s deal on Boeing 737 stays

Air Peace’s deal on Boeing 737 stays

Nigerians vote to elect 29 governors

Observer groups advise on electoral reform

Recommended Stories

Nigeria moves to review ICRC Act

ICRC reiterates need for viable projects through PPP

June 2, 2022
Nigeria to allocate $200m for creation of agricultural service centres

AFAN decries rising cost of fertilizer, herbicides, other inputs

April 13, 2022
Experts validate Nigeria’s implementation strategies for success under AfCFTA

BDC operator calls for collective efforts to stabilise naira

November 11, 2023

Popular Stories

  • Rising prices of goods cause protests in Morocco

    Rising prices of goods cause protests in Morocco

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NLNG not responsible for gas supply shortfall, price hike

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NCC sets fresh operational fees, spectrum prices for telecom operators

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hoarding causes hike in prices of grains

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Prices of Petrol, diesel increase in November

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
TheMattersPress

We bring you the best news update in Nigeria

LEARN MORE »

Recent Posts

  • Senate’s stance on Nigeria’s Legislature-Executive Relationship, thrilling
  • Tinubu explains mission as he marks second year in office
  • Increasing oil rigs, a big score for Nigeria’s petroleum sector reforms

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Economy/Technology
  • Energy
  • Entertainment/sports
  • Features
  • Foreign
  • Multimedia
  • Natural Resources
  • News
  • Oil and Gas
  • Photo
  • Politics
  • Security
  • Thematterspress
  • Uncategorized
  • Video

© 2025 Domo Tech World - Powered by Thematterspress.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Thematterspress
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Photo
    • Video
  • About us
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Domo Tech World - Powered by Thematterspress.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Call Us