Manitoba’s Ethiopian community is grieving following a plane crash in East Africa that claimed 157 lives Sunday.
Eighteen of the people on board were Canadian.
The plane on its way from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Nairobi, Kenya went down just minutes after takeoff. No one survived.
Ali Saeed is the founder of the Ethiopian Society of Winnipeg.
"As a community we are mourning the death of these people," said Saeed. "I'm shocked."
Since word of the crash, people have been making calls to check in on friends and families.
"We are sad you know. This is unfortunate. It could happen anywhere in the world. Unfortunately it happened in Ethiopia."
Saeed said a gathering to pray for victims is planned for this Sunday at 11 a.m.
"We will express our condolences to the people who lost their family," said Saeed.
It's set to take place at Ethiopian Orthodox St. Mary Church at 353 Mountain Avenue.
