The Chinese state media has reported that 8 of it citizens were on board the ill fated Ethiopian flight that has killed 157 citizens from 33 countries.
Earlier, the airline said all the 149 passengers and eight crew believed to be on the flight, from 33 nationalities, died in the Sunday morning crash.
Boeing, the company that built the crashed aeroplane, said in a tweet that it was “closely monitoring the situation”.
Its 737 Max-8 aircraft is relatively new to the skies, having been launched in 2016. It was added to the Ethiopian Airlines fleet in July last year.
Another plane of the same model was involved in a crash five months ago, when a Lion Air flight crashed into the sea near Indonesia with nearly 190 people on board.
A man, Bekele Gutema, who says he was near the crash site around the town of Bishoftu, which is 60km (37 miles) south-east of the capital.
He says: “The blast and the fire were so strong that we couldn’t get near it. Everything is burnt down. The firefighters arrived around 11 and the crash happened around 8. There are four helicopters at the scene now. No one will survive.”
People who fear their loved ones were on the flight are waiting for information in Nairobi.
The Ethiopian Airlines flight was scheduled to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the Kenyan capital around 10:30 local time (07:30 GMT).
The Kenyan government is “supporting” the Ethiopian authorities following the crash, the country’s Transport Secretary has said.
James Wainaina Macharia said support centres had been set up near Jomo Kenyatta airport.
He also called for “highest level of privacy” for the family and friends of those feared to have been on board the flight.
Kenya has set up a hotline for those whose family and friends may have been on the flight: (+254)733666066.
News agency Reuters has been speaking to relatives of passengers that were due to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.
They say they had not been given any information by airport authorities.
Robert Mutanda, who was waiting for his brother-in-law from Canada, said: “We haven’t seen anyone from the airline or the airport.”
He was speaking to Reuters at 13:00 local time (10.00 GMT), more than three hours after the flight was lost.
“Nobody has told us anything, we are just standing here hoping for the best.”
Wendy Otieno told Reuters: “We’re just waiting for my mum. We’re just hoping she took a different flight or was delayed. She’s not picking up her phone.”
Aeroplane maker Boeing has said that it is “deeply saddened” to learn of the death of all the passengers and crew on its 737 MAX airplane, that crashed six minutes after taking off from Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa.
It added:Quote Message: We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the passengers and crew on board and stand ready to support the Ethiopian Airlines team. A Boeing technical team is prepared to provide technical assistance at the request and under the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board.”
We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the passengers and crew on board and stand ready to support the Ethiopian Airlines team. A Boeing technical team is prepared to provide technical assistance at the request and under the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board.”