Senior Investigator Dennis Jones To Represent The Agency

The NTSB will dispatch an aviation investigator to assist the government of Lebanon in its investigation of the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines B-737-800 (ET-ANB) off the coast of Lebanon.

At approximately 0230. local time on January 25, the aircraft went down into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman has designated senior investigator Dennis Jones as the U.S. Accredited Representative. His team will include technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing.

The investigation is being conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Government of Lebanon, which will release all information on the progress of the investigation.

ANN reported earlier that the U.S. military had dispatched a guided missile destroyer and a patrol aircraft to assist the search-and-rescue effort.  The USS Ramage, a 505-foot-long Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, has been dispatched to the area, as well as an Italian-based P-3 Orion aircraft.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov