CRASH OF ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES FLT 409: LEBANESE GOVERNMENT REQUESTS U.S. ASSISTANCE IN SEARCH AND RESCUE, RECOVERY

UNCLAS BEIRUT 000074 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/ES-O AND NEA TRANSPORTATION FOR NTSB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR CASC KEMR MOPS LE SUBJECT: CRASH OF ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES FLT 409: LEBANESE GOVERNMENT REQUESTS U.S. ASSISTANCE IN SEARCH AND RESCUE, RECOVERY ¶1. The Lebanese government has requested immediate USG assistance in search and rescue and/or recovery operations following the crash of Ethiopian Airways flight 409 on January 25. The plane, en route from Beirut to Addis Ababa, went down shortly after its 02:30 hrs (local) take-off approximately 4 km off the Lebanese coast about 15 km south of Beirut. Debris and bodies are currently being recovered from the water and adjacent coastline. Lebanese military officials estimate the depth of the water in the area where the plane went down to be 50-100 meters. ¶2. Mid-morning on January 25, the Lebanese Armed Forces passed to Embassy Beirut on behalf of the defense minister a request for the following: "humanitarian assistance" in recovering the bodies from the flight; assistance in locating and recovering the plane's "black box"; and assistance in interpreting the data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder once they are recovered. The Lebanese authorities specifically requested divers to assist in the recovery operations. ¶3. At noon on January 25, the Lebanese prime minister's office also requested the assistance of the NTSB and FAA in recovering and interpreting data from the plane's recorders. An official from the office stated that Prime Minister Hariri had already authorized reception of an NTSB/FAA team, and noted that Lebanon welcomed any help the U.S. could offer in the follow-up to the crash. In a midday press conference, the prime minister said that Lebanon was requesting assistance from the U.S., UK, Cyprus and France. ¶4. Embassy Beirut recommends a favorable response to the Lebanese requests and stands ready to facilitate. SISON