ET409 crashed into sea

It is reported that Ethiopian Airlines ET409 has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on a flight from Beirut.
The aircraft operated was a 737-800, with 85 passengers onboard.
The scheduled flight was as follows
ET408 ADD 2135 – 0125+1 BEY
ET409 BEY 0210 – 0750 ADD

The aircraft reportedly lost radar contact 45 mins after the departure.
The weather in the area was
OLBA 250300Z 06004KT
030V090 5000 VCTS RA
FEW020CB BKN026 10/06
Q1014 NOSIG

and included light winds, rain and thunderstorms.

It is likely to become the 7th hull loss of a 737-800 in the last 3.5 years.

Lebanese Civil Defense forces, with its three Sikorsky S-61Ns, Lebanese Navy and UNIFIL are expected to jointly carry out the rescue operation.

The last fatal accident of Ethiopian was in 1996, when a 767-200, hijacked by terrorists, ran out of fuel in sea near Comoros.
Await more details.

UPDATE 3:
“ET409 crashed around five mins after takeoff at 2:30am with 83 passengers and nine crew onboard” – Airport Official

UPDATE 4:
Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi : the plane crash site has been determined. It crashed in the sea about 1.5km to the west of Naameh.

UPDATE 5:
Al Arabiya reports that seven survivors have been rescued by the Lebanese army.

UPDATE 6:
Passengers Nationality List as per Ethiopian Airlines press release
23 Ethiopian
51 Lebanese
1 Turkish
1 French
1 British
1 Russian
1 Canadian
1 Syrian
1 Iraqi

UPDATE 7: Reportedly it was learnt via Beirut ATC that the aircraft reached 8000ft ( FL80 ) in around three minutes.

Information is still scarce Keep an eye on major news sources and #ET409 on Twitter.
More info will be updated once AIR receives more info.Crash: Ethiopian Airlines B738 near Beirut on Jan 25 th 2010 , lost height after takeoff and impacted Mediterranean By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Jan 25 th 2010 07 : 48 Z, last updated Monday, Jan 25 th 2010 14 :13 Z An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 , registration ET- ANB performing flight ET-409 from Beirut (Lebanon) to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) with 82 passengers and 8 crew, departed Beirut around 2 :35 L (00 :35 Z) when the airplane lost height and impacted the Mediterranean Sea about 2 nm off the coast of Naameh and about 4 nm southsouthwest of the airport. Lebanon’s Authorities initially reported, they were able to recover 7 survivors, but did not confirm that report later. 21 bodies have been recovered from the Sea. A thunderstorm system was moving into Lebanon at the time. Airport Officials confirmed, the airplane was taking off in stormy weather, and continued, that the airplane has been hit by lightning. Witnesses on the ground at Naameh reported having seen the airplane being hit by multiple lightnings. Aviation sources in Beirut said, that the airplane had reached about 8000 feet of altitude, when the crew requested to turn around a thunderstorm cell just before radio contact was lost. Ethiopian Airlines confirmed the loss of flight ET-409 saying, that they have no information of survivors. An investigation team has been dispatched to the scene. The airline’s press office later reported ET-AMZ being involved in the accident although radar data suggested the airframe involved was ET-ANB. Ethiopian Airlines CEO said in a press conference, that the airplane had been built in 2002 ( editorial note: which rules ET-AMZ out, but confirms ET-ANB) and had been leased from CIT Aerospace in September 2009. The airplane went through maintenance checks last on Dec 25 th 2009 with no technical problems being identified. Ethiopian operated three Boeing 737-800 s: ET-ANA was built in 2001 , ET-ANB was built in 2002 and ET-AMZ was built in 2007. Metars: OLBA 250300 Z 06004 KT 030 V 090 5000 TSSHRA FEW020 CB BKN 026 10 /06 Q1014 NOSIG OLBA 250200 Z 12006 KT 8000 VCTS FEW020 CB BKN026 11 /06 Q1014 NOSIG OLBA 250100 Z VRB03 KT 4000 SHRA FEW020 CB BKN026 12 /07 Q1014 NOSIG OLBA 250000 Z 31008 KT 280 V 340 8000 VCTS FEW020 CB SCT 026 13 /06 Q1014 NOSIG OLBA 242300 Z 32011 KT 300 V 360 8000 FEW020 CB SCT 026 14 /07 Q1014 NOSIG OLBA 242200 Z 32016 KT 7000 FEW020 CB SCT026 FEW 070 14 /07 Q1014 NOSIG OLBA 242100 Z 32013 KT 5000 TSGR FEW020 CB BKN026 13 /08 Q1013 NOSIG