WASHINGTON, DC – The National Transportation Safety Board will dispatch an aviation investigator to assist the government of Lebanon in its investigation of the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines B- 737-800 (ET-ANB) off the coast of Lebanon.

At approximately 2:30 a.m. local time on January 25, the aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman has designated senior investigator Dennis Jones as the U.S. Accredited Representative. His team will include technical advisors from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing.

The investigation is being conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Government of Lebanon, which will release all information on the progress of the investigation.