© REUTERS American civil aviation and Boeing investigators search through the debris near Bishoftu, Ethiopia
The pilot of the doomed Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed killing all 157 on board begged air traffic control to land, minutes before the tragedy.
Yared Getachew, captain of the Boeing 737 Max 8, was granted clearance to return to base after he experienced flight control problems on Sunday minutes into the journey to Nairobi, Kenya.
© Getty Images EJERE, ETHIOPIA - MARCH 13: A bouquet of flowers is placed in front of a pile of debris at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash on March 13, 2019 in Ejere, Ethiopia. All 157 passengers and crew perished after the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 Flight came down six minutes after taking off from Bole Airport. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)Now the CEO of the airline has revealed the last messages between Mr Getachew and air traffic control.
Airline chief Tewolde GebreMariam said: “According to the air traffic controller’s recorded voice exchange, the pilot recorded flight control problems, so he was having difficulties with the flight control of the aeroplane .
“He asked to return back to base, and clearance was given to him."
© NTV Kenya Yared Getachew was the pilot of the doomed jet
But he told CNN : “That was at 8.44am, at the same time the aeroplane disappeared from the radar.”
It is unclear at this stage what flight control problems the crew experienced.
© Provided by Trinity Mirror Shared Services Limited Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, gave more details about the in-flight communication
But Mr GebreMariam stressed all employees were given new training after the Lion Air disaster last year, which saw another Boeing 737 Max 8 plunge to the ground in Indonesia.
Pictures: Ethiopian Airlines crashes, killing 157 people
An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 crashed on March 10 en route from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Nairobi, Kenya with 149 passengers and eight crew on board, Ethiopian Airlines said.(Pictured) Rescuers work at the scene of an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash, south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 11.
Forensics experts comb through the dirt for debris at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele village in Oromia region, on March 14, 2019.
Ethiopian relatives of crash victims mourn at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Ethiopian relatives of crash victims mourn and grieve at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Family members of the flight's main pilot, Captain Yared Getachew, carry photographs of him as they mourn at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
An Ethiopian relative of a crash victim throws dirt in her own face after realizing that there is nothing physical left of her loved one, as she mourns at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Ethiopian relatives of crash victims mourn and grieve at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south-east of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Candles burn before a flower-adorned memorial arch erected at the site of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crash on March 14, 2019, in Ejere, Ethiopia.
Two men carry suitcases containing the flight recorders from the Ethiopian jet, into the French air accident investigation authority, Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Le Bourget, north of Paris.
Forensic experts work at the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines operated Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, at Hama Quntushele village in the Oromia region, on March 13, 2019.
A bouquet of flowers is placed in front of a pile of debris at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash on March 13, 2019, in Ejere, Ethiopia.
Relatives react at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, south of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
Wreaths and floral installations stand next to piles of wreckage at the scene where the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on Sunday killing all 157 on board, near Bishoftu, or Debre Zeit, south of Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
Investigators and recovery workers inspect a second engine after it is recovered from a crater at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash on March 13, 2019, in Ejere, Ethiopia.
Ethiopian religious leaders pray at the house of crash victim air hostess Sara Gebremichael, 38, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Wednesday, March 13, 2019.
Kebebew Legesse, the mother of Ethiopian Airlines cabin crew Ayantu Girmay mourns at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town Bishoftu, on March 12.
Ethiopian policemen search through the passengers belongings at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash on March 12.
A man holds passengers' passports found at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash on March 12.
A page of a flight crew operations manual is seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, on March 12.
Colleagues mourn during a memorial ceremony held for the crew who died in the Ethiopian Airlines accident at the Ethiopian Pilot Association Club in Addis Ababa, on March 11.
A relative reacts as he leaves the information center following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya March 10.
Wreckage is seen at the site of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, on March 11.
The United Nations flag is pictured at half mast in memory of the victims of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 11.
Members of the search and rescue mission look on as a digger searches for dead bodies of passengers at the scene of plane crash.
Delegates at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) world environmental forum observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, at the United Nations complex within Gigiri in Nairobi, Kenya on March 11.
Relatives and friends of Sara Gebremichael, 38, a crew leader on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane that crashed, mourn at her house in Addis Ababa on March 11.
Mourners attend a memorial service held by an association of Ethiopian airline pilots, at which framed photographs of seven crew members were on display, in Addis Ababa, on March 11.
Villagers stand at the scene of plane crash.
Engine parts are seen at the scene of plane crash.
Ethiopian Federal policemen stand at the scene of plane crash.
A boarding pass is seen at the scene of plane crash.
People walk past a part of the wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 10.
A man carries a piece of debris on his head at the crash site of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 on March 10.
Cabin serviettes are seen at the scene of the plane crash on March 10.
Passenger Ahmed Khalid (L), who missed his Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 while connecting from Dubai, is received by his father Khalid Bzambur (R) at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on March 10, in Nairobi, Kenya.
People use their mobile phones near the flight information board displaying the details of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on March 10, in Nairobi, Kenya.
A flight information board displaying the details of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 is seen March 10.
Relatives of the victims involved in a plane crash board a bus at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, on March 10, in Nairobi, Kenya.
Wreckage lies at the scene of the crash.
Tractors excavate the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash on March 10.
Rescue workers are seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, March 10.
A Kenyan woman is comforted by a Red Cross worker after getting information about her loved ones that were on board the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya, March 10.
A Red Cross team works amid debris at the crash site.
Family members of the victims react to news of the plane crash on March 10.
People walk at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash on March 10.
The CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam, looks at the wreckage of the plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 10.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam holds a press briefing at the headquarters of Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa, March 10.
A woman whose fiance was on board waits for news at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya on March 10.
The aviation boss continued: “They’re both the same aeroplane model, brand new aeroplanes , and also the flights were very short.
“The fact that many other countries are also now raising cautions on the aeroplane shows there is very significant similarities (between) the two accidents.
“There are a lot of questions to be answered on the aeroplane .”
Now the black box, which records data, will be sent to Paris for analysis.
© VCG via Getty Images All 157 people on board the plane died on Sunday
Mr GebreMariam said Mr Gatechew was a “commendable” pilot with an excellent flying record who had clocked up more than 8000 flight hours.
He was accompanied in the cockpit by the experienced first officer Ahmed Nur Mohammod Nur.
The disaster has rocked the global aviation industry .
Boeing has tonight said it is pausing deliveries of its 737 MAX aircraft to customers in the wake of the deadly crash.
Multiple nations, including all in the European Union, have suspende d the 737 MAX, grounding about two-thirds of the 371 jets of that make in operation around the world.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority also announced it had banned the jet from UK airspace.
© AFP/Getty Images No bodies have been recovered from the wreckage
And Donald Trump has Donald Trump grounds 737 Max 8 and 9 after Ethiopia Airlines crash .
The US president said Boeing "is an incredible company" but, for now, has notified all airlines of his decision.
Speaking at the White House, the former businessman said: "All of those planes are grounded effectively immediately.
"Boeing is an incredible company. They are working very, very hard right now and hopefully, they’ll come up with an answer, but until they do, all planes are grounded.
© REUTERS Ethiopian Federal policemen stand near engine parts at the scene
"We are going to be issuing an emergency order of prohibition to ground all flights of the 737 MAX 8 and the 737 MAX 9 and planes associated with that line."
