A massive international search and rescue operation is under way off Beirut after an Ethiopian airliner exploded in a ball of flames and plunged into the sea off Lebanon during a fierce storm early today.
A Lebanese security official said that by early afternoon at least 24 bodies had been pulled from the sea.
A total of 90 passengers and crew were on board the flight and officials have played down hopes of any survivors.
The health ministry said it had set up a crisis unit in a bid to identify the victims through DNA tests or items of jewellery found on their persons.
It emerged this evening that the airliner had previously been operated by Ryanair.
The Boeing 737-800 was built in 2002 and sold to leasing company CIT, who delivered it to Ethiopian Airlines.
Debris from the the plane, which was headed to Addis Ababa, as well as luggage and personal belongings has been washing up on the shoreline south of the capital.
A defence ministry official said the plane exploded into four pieces before crashing shortly after takeoff at 2.35am (12.35am Irish time) in a heavy thunderstorm.
Defence Minister Elias Murr said it appeared the storm was to blame.
'We have ruled out foul play so far,' Mr Murrs said, echoing comments earlier by President Michel Sleiman.
Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi said Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 lost contact with the airport control tower shortly after takeoff and crashed into the Mediterranean sea 2.5 nautical miles off the coastal town of Na'ameh, south of the airport.
The Lebanese army, navy as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and aircraft from France, Britain, Cyprus and the US are assisting in the rescue, officials said.
Families of the passengers have gathered at Beirut International Airport.
Lebanon has been lashed by heavy rains and storms in the past two days that have caused flooding and damage in some parts of the country.
Officials listed 83 passengers and seven crew members on board the flight.
The passengers comprise 54 Lebanese, 23 Ethiopians, one French woman, one British national, one Iraqi, one Syrian, one Turkish, one unknown and seven crew members.
Three of the Lebanese held due nationality - one from Britain, one from Canada and one from Russia.
Thousands of Ethiopians are employed as domestic workers in Lebanon and Ethiopian Airlines operates a regular flight between Addis Ababa and Beirut.
Many Lebanese, especially from the south of the country, work in Africa and Addis Ababa is a transit point.
The Boeing 737-800, which entered into commercial service in 1998, is one of the latest versions of the world's most widely used short to medium-haul airliners, and is capable of carrying up to 189 passengers.
Ethiopian Airlines, which was established in 1946 and operates an all-Boeing fleet, is considered one of Africa's best carriers.
