External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday requested people on Twitter to help the government reach out to the family of Shikha Garg, one of the Indian victims of the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
“I am trying to reach the family of Shikha Garg who has unfortunately died in the air crash. I have tried her husband’s number many times. Please help me reach her family,” she tweeted on Monday.
I am trying to reach the family of Shikha Garg who has unfortunately died in the air crash. I have tried her husband’s number many times. Please help me reach her family.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 11, 2019
Shikha Garg, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consultant attached to the Environment Ministry, was on her way to attend a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) meeting in Nairobi in the plane which crashed minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa.
The other three Indian nationals killed are Pannagesh Bhaskar Vaidya, Hansin Pannagesh Vaidya and Nukavarapu Manisha.
A total of 149 passengers and 8 crew members from 35 countries were on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 302 when it ploughed into a field in Bishoftu (formerly Debre Zeit), a town located 48 kilometres south east of Addis Ababa.
Among the deceased were 32 Kenyan, 18 Canadian, 9 Ethiopian, 8 Americans and 7 each from French and UK.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft took off from the capital at 8.38 am local time (11.08 am IST). Contact with the aircraft was lost at 8.44 am local time, just six minutes after take-off, on its flight to Kenya’s Nairobi.
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It was expected to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 10:25 am local time.
“I am sorry to know about the unfortunate crash of Ethiopian Airlines plane ET 302. We have lost four Indian nationals in the air crash. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Ethiopia to provide all help and assistance to the bereaved families,” Swaraj tweeted on Sunday.
“My colleague Dr Harsh Vardhan (Environment Minister) has confirmed that Ms.Shikha Garg is a Consultant with the Ministry of Environment and Forests. She was travelling to attend the UNEP meeting in Nairobi,” the EAM added.
In a tweet the Environment Minister extended condolences to the families of the victims.
“My condolences to the families of four Indian nationals who have died in an unfortunate crash of Ethiopian Airlines. Sadly, a UNDP consultant attached to my ministry @moefcc Ms Shikha Garg, also died in the crash. My prayers for the departed souls,” read Harsh Vardhan’s tweet.
The EAM said that the Indian High Commissioner in Ethiopia has been asked to provide all help to the families of the victims.
The Indian Embassy in Ethiopia gave contact numbers and details of officials who can be approached for assistance by the families of the Indian nationals who died in the crash.