The jet was the same make and model as the plane that crashed off Indonesia last year, killing all 189 people aboard. CNBC reported that Chinese airlines operate 96 of the aircraft; Boeing records indicate that Ethiopian Airlines flies four others, part of an order of 30 by the airline. The Ethiopian Airlines jet had been in service for only four months and had no known technical issues, GebreMariam said. John Cox, an aviation safety management specialist at the University of Southern California who is an aviation analyst for NBC News. Ethiopian Airlines is well-respected in aviation circles, having been accepted into the Star Alliance — which includes Air Canada, Lufthansa and United Airlines — in 2011.

Source: Ethiopian News March 11, 2019 02:05 UTC