Deadly plane crash puts dent in Ethiopia's grand designs

Rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Monday, March 11, 2019. A spokesman says Ethiopian Airlines has grounded all its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft as a safety precaution, following the crash of one of its planes in which 157 people were killed. (AP Photo/Mulugeta Ayene)

KAMPALA, Uganda – The crown jewel in Ethiopia's transformation to continental power in recent years is Ethiopian Airlines, the state-owned company that calls itself "the new spirit of Africa."

Sunday's crash that killed 157 people also puts a dent in Ethiopia's grand designs, spurred on by a dazzlingly reformist new leader. He vows to turn a state controlled-system into free and fair elections next year.

Even as the crash crater smoked, Africa mourned not only the dead but a symbol of the continent's rise.

"This couldn't have come at a worse time," Nigeria's president said. "Like every other African leader, I am proud of the fact that Ethiopian Airlines represents one of Africa's success stories."

The airline is a high-flying symbol of a country shaking off a decades-old image of devastating poverty.