The pilot of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed into the sea flew in the opposite direction from the path recommended by the Beirut control tower, Lebanon's transportation minister said Tuesday. All 90 people on board were feared dead after the plane went down in flames around at 2:30 a.m. Monday, during a night of lightning and thunderstorms.
According to the AP, Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi conveyed that the tower had asked the pilot "to correct his path but he did a very fast and strange turn before disappearing completely from the radar." Ethiopian Airlines said late Monday that the pilot had more than 20 years of experience.
Lebanese officials have ruled out terrorism or "sabotage." The plane was headed to the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. No survivors have been found more than 24 hours after the crash.
On Tuesday, rescue teams and equipment sent from the U.N. and countries including the United States and Cyprus were helping in the search.
