UN worker from Devon dies in jet carnage
Parents’ agony as ‘soft, loving’ environmentalist is among 7 Britons killed in Ethiopian jet crash that claimed 157 lives
A PASSIONATE environmental worker was among seven Britons killed when a plane crashed minutes after taking off in Ethiopia yesterday.
Joanna Toole, 36, was one of 157 passengers and crew on the flight, destined for Nairobi, which caught fire as it fell out of the sky.
The UN worker’s devastated father last night said he had never felt comfortable with his daughter flying so much.
Adrian Toole said: ‘I’m an environmental campaigner myself, so partly it was because of the damage to the environment but also because it’s a dangerous occupation to be flying. Up until now she had been lucky.’
Paying tribute to his ‘ soft, loving’ daughter, he said: ‘It’s hard to imagine life without her. We’ve been told there are no survivors so we’re guessing this is the end.’ A number of delegates and UN staff members heading to a major conference in the Kenyan capital were also on the Ethiopian Airlines jet.
The captain of flight ET302 had sent out a distress call and was given clearance to return to the airport.
Witnesses described how the Boeing 737 ploughed into a field at 8.45am (5.45am British time), 37 miles from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, killing all 149 passengers and eight crew. It is not yet known what caused the crash, just six minutes after take-off.
Tegegn Dechasa said: ‘The plane was already on fire when it crashed to the ground. It was swerving erratically.’ A huge crater was left near a remote village where debris could be seen. Witness Elias Gebreselassie said: ‘I have seen plane parts, people’s luggage and unfortunately human remains.’
Miss Toole, from Exmouth, Devon, but living in Rome, worked for the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). She had been flying to Nairobi to conduct a workshop with Kenyan fishermen in an attempt to reduce marine debris. Her father said she had been an environmentalist since the age of eight, when she helped protect a badger sett. ‘Joanna’s work was not a job – it was her vocation,’ Mr Toole said.
Those killed were of 35 nationalities including the seven Britons, an Irish citizen, seven French, 18 Canadians, nine from Ethiopia and 32 Kenyans.
The Irish victim has been named locally as father of two Michael Ryan from Lahinch, County Clare, who had been working with the UN world food programme. Mr Ryan, who was described as ‘ a wonderful and compassionate man who lived for his job of helping others’, was due to work on a development project.
Meanwhile, the son of a Kenyan and British dual national killed on the flight spoke out last night.
Victim Joseph Waithaka, 55, moved to Hull, East Yorkshire, 15 years ago before moving back to his native Kenya in 2015.
He worked for the Probation Service, supervising offenders carrying out community service.
His son Ben said: ‘It is really surreal as he was in my flat just a few hours before and we were having a meal together. The whole family is devastated and my mum is really upset. He helped so many people in Hull who had found themselves on the wrong side of the law.’
Other affected countries included China, Italy and the US which each lost eight citizens, Germany which lost five and India with four. Some passengers were believed to be going to the UN’s Environment Assembly today, with 4,700 delegates. In all, 19 UN staff died.
Ethiopian Airlines expressed its ‘deepest condolences’ to the victims’ families.
The Foreign Office said: ‘Our staff at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa are in touch with the relevant authorities in Ethiopia.’
‘Her work was her vocation’