Kenya holds memorial service to mourn victims of Ethiopian plane crash

Reuters: A memorial service for the victims of the Ethiopian plane crash was held in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya on Sunday. Hundreds of well-wishers, diplomats and family members of victims attended the ceremony held at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Candles were lit for each person on board the ill-fated flight. "Ordinary words fail us. It is impossible to remain mute to this irrevocable loss. So I offer these thoughts of outreach as we assemble together to remember our loss in common prayer," said Meles Alem, Ethiopian Ambassador to Kenya. Andrey Shestakov, a staff member from the Embassy of Russia in Kenya, expressed his condolences for the victims. "[On behalf] of the Russian people, and on behalf of Ambassador and the embassy staff and the Orthodox, we are in deep sorrow, we are together, we are united in these days. One week has passed after this terrible tragedy which took the lives of three Russian citizens as well and their souls, they went through, together with the souls of the people who perished from all the countries," said Shestakov. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane of the Ethiopian Airlines ET 302 crashed near the capital of Addis Ababa, minutes after take-off on March 10, killing all 157 people on board. "To all those who have lost their loved ones, we say it was God's plan and as you believe, we ask for God's peace to be with you," said Eli Ochere, cousin of a victim of the plane crash. Family members and loved ones of the victims were flown to Addis Ababa. Ethiopian Airlines says families will get the death certificates of their loved ones in two weeks, but it may take up to six months to get DNA results identifying the deceased. For many of them, it is a start as they seek some form of closure to the tragic events of Flight ET 302.