Coincidence? US Warned Citizens Hours Before Ethiopian Airlines Plane Crash

Following Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines flight crash that has claimed the lives of 157 people, it has emerged that the US had warned its citizens against traveling in or out of Bole International Airport.

In a statement shared by the US Department of State: Consular Affairs, the US warned its citizens not to arrive or depart the Addis Ababa airport on Sunday, citing security concerns around Meskel Square over planned protests on the material day.

“The U.S. Embassy is aware of calls for a protest to be held on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at Meskel Square.  It is unknown whether the protest has been or will be approved by Ethiopian authorities.  Protests have already occurred in many parts of the Oromia region since March 6, and additional protests may materialize."

“U.S. Embassy personnel are advised to avoid Meskel Square and limit movement around Addis Ababa on Sunday, March 10.   U.S. Government travelers have been advised not to arrive or depart Bole International Airport on Sunday, March 10, and U.S. Embassy personnel are also temporarily prohibited from traveling to Oromia,” reads the statement.

Hours after the warning, Ethiopian Airlines plane #ET302 crashed six minutes after it left Bole International Airport.

Questions are likely to be raised on whether the US had prior intelligence on the crash whose cause is yet to be established or it was just a mere coincidence.

Those on board included 149 passengers and 8 crew members.

The Nairobi-bound flight went down near the town of Bishoftu, 60km south-east of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.