Ethiopian Airlines, the flag carrier of Ethiopia, is widely recognized as one of the country's most enduring and prestigious brands. Established post World War II, the airline has played a pivotal role in the development of air travel in Africa. Historically, it was created to connect cities within Ethiopia, but it quickly expanded to include destinations across the continent and then internationally. The airline's birth and growth are deeply interwoven with the ambition to link Africa to the rest of the world, promoting economic, social, and cultural exchanges.
The fleet of Ethiopian Airlines is expansive and versatile, enabling the carrier to operate a network that spans across several continents including Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. This extensive network is supported by the airline's hub at Addis Ababa, strategically positioned to connect different parts of the world.
Over the years, the airline has cultivated a reputation for operational excellence, innovation, and service quality. Ethiopian Airlines is not only known for its passenger services, but also for a myriad of other services including cargo transport, aviation training, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. It runs one of the largest and most modern cargo terminals in Africa and has a substantial contribution to the continent's air freight operations. The airline's commitment to excellence is evident in its advanced aviation academy, which is one of Africa's leading centers for aviation training.
Historical Incidents and Accidents
While Ethiopian Airlines has established itself as a leading aviation entity in Africa, it is crucial to acknowledge its historical safety record. The following is a list of accidents and incidents involving Ethiopian Airlines aircraft.
- The aircraft belly landed just after it departed from Khartoum Airport, 49 kilometres (30 mi) away from the city.
- Crashed into mountainous terrain 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi) south of Jimma.
- Swerved off the runway on the take-off run at Tippi Airport, and ran into a mill. Five people on board lost their lives in the accident, plus one more on the ground.
- An Eritrean hijacker was shot on board by an Ethiopian security official.
- The aircraft was en route a scheduled flight from Addis Ababa-Haile Selassie I Airport to Djibouti-Ambouli Airport, when three Eritrean hijackers belonging to the Eritrean Liberation Front hijacked the plane and forced the crew to fly to Aden International Airport. The hijackers were arrested after landing in Aden.
- A Yemeni hijacker entered the cockpit shortly after departing from Madrid to Rome, and demanded the pilots to head to Aden. The hijacker was shot dead by an official security, and later another hijacker was also shot dead at the rear of the aircraft.
- Crashed near Gondar when one wing separated from the fuselage.
- Seven Eritrean hijackers belonging to the Eritrean Liberation Front attempted to hijack Flight 708 on its first leg, en route a scheduled Addis Ababa-Asmara-Athens-Rome-Paris flight. After a grenade was activated while security officials opened fire at the hijackers, it exploded and damaged the rudder controls. The pilots managed to land the aircraft safely at Addis Ababa. Neither the passengers nor the crew were harmed, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Six of the hijackers were shot dead on board, while the remaining one died in a hospital.
- Crashed on take-off from Sodo airport. Both the pilot and the copilot were killed, while 10 of the 21 passengers were injured.
- Engines were cut off upon touchdown at Sodo Airport, following a loss of hydraulic pressure.
- Crashed on approach to Bole International Airport after hitting the roof of a house when descending too fast due to a feathered propeller.
- Experienced the collapse of its port main undercarriage on landing at Bahir Dar Airport.
- The main landing gear resulted damaged during landing at Combolcha Airport.
- Both engines ingested pigeons during take-off. The aircraft made a belly landing at the departing airport, and caught fire.
- Following take-off from Gondar Airport, the main gear did not retract. An attempt to land ended up with the aircraft touching down 400 m (1,300 ft) ahead of the end of the runway. The aircraft came to rest after rolling almost 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
- Aborted take-off after birdstrike during the take-off run.
- A problem with the nosegear prompted the crew to return to Djibouti.
- The aircraft was hijacked by four people while en route a domestic scheduled Gambela Airport-Bole International Airport service, demanding to be flown to Djibouti. The plane landed at Dire Dawa for refueling. During a six-day-long period of negotiations, one hijacker attempted to escape and was shot wounded.
- Experienced a bird strike on approach to Bole International Airport, inbound from Dessie as Flight 173. The windshields resulted damaged.
- Flight 961 was hijacked by three hijackers while en route the second leg of a Bombay-Addis Ababa-Nairobi-Brazzaville-Lagos-Abidjan route. The hijackers instructed the pilot to fly to Australia. Instead, the pilots headed the aircraft southwards and flew it along the shore. Fuel eventually ran out and one of the engines stopped. A landing into shallow waters 500 yd (460 m) away from the shore, close to the Galawa Beach, near Moroni, was attempted. The water landing failed when the aircraft hit an unseen coral reef. Many passengers died because they inflated their life vests before leaving the flooded cabin. Among the dead was the Kenyan photojournalist Mohamed Amin, besides all of the hijackers.
- While attempting to hijack Flight 113, en route from Bahir Dar to Addis Ababa, two hijackers were shot dead by the security personnel on board, and a crew member was injured.
- Flight 409 was an international scheduled Beirut-Addis Ababa passenger service that plunged into the Mediterranean Sea 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) southwest of Rafic Hariri International Airport shortly after it took off from the airport in stormy weather.
- On 17 February 2014, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 702 flying from Addis Ababa to Rome and onwards to Milan was forced to land at Geneva airport after being hijacked by the co-pilot while flying north over Sudan. The aircraft circled Geneva airport several times while the co-pilot communicated with air traffic control to inquire about possibility of hijackers receiving asylum in Switzerland. Flight 702 landed with one engine and less than 10 minutes of fuel remaining.
- On 10 January 2015, a Boeing 737-400 cargo plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines Flight KP4030, sustained substantial damage in a runway excursion on landing at Accra-Kotoka Airport (ACC), Ghana.
- Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a four-month-old Boeing 737 MAX 8, crashed near Bishoftu six minutes after takeoff from Bole International Airport, killing all 157 passengers and crew on board.
These incidents, varying from hijackings to crashes, highlight the challenges the airline has faced throughout its history. It's important to consider that safety standards and technology have evolved significantly over the decades.
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Ethiopian Airlines: Safety Over Time
While past incidents provide a historical perspective, current safety ratings and practices are crucial for assessing the airline's present-day standing. It's important to consult up-to-date sources for the most accurate information.
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