Members of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are lending support to the government of Lebanon in its investigation of the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 shortly after takeoff from Beirut airport on 25 January.
The aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff as contact with the aircraft was lost at 9,000ft following its departure from runway 21. The aircraft was enroute to Addis Ababa.
NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman has designated senior investigator Dennis Jones as the USA's accredited representative in the investigation. His team will also include technical advisors from the FAA and Boeing.
Ethiopian has said the aircraft underwent maintenance on 25 December, and was declared safe to fly.