Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr says the Ethiopian aircraft that crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Beirut Airport early this morning was probably hit by lightning.

Minister Murr told reporters "bad weather was apparently the cause of the crash," adding, "we have ruled out foul play so far."
 

The Ethiopian Airlines jet, with 90 passengers and crew on board, exploded about five minutes after takeoff and plunged into the sea in a ball of flames. An international search and rescue operation was quickly launched but no survivors have yet been found. Lebanese security officials say at least 24 bodies have been recovered so far. Teams are still searching for the flight recorders.
 

The Boeing 737 was on a routine flight to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The passengers include 54 Lebanese, 22 Ethiopians as well as an Iraqi, a French woman, and a Syrian. Several passengers had dual nationality, including one British-Lebanese, one Canadian-Lebanese and a Russian-Lebanese. Marla Sanchez Pietton, the wife of the French ambassador, was also on board flight 409.
 

Thousands of Ethiopians are employed as domestic workers in Lebanon, and Ethiopian Airlines operates a regular service between Addis Ababa and Beirut.
 

Photograph: wreckage from flight 409; ANP