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.
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