The Taoiseach says the Irish man who died in a plane crash in Ethiopia was doing "life-saving work".
Michael Ryan - a father of two from Co. Clare - was among the 157 victims from the Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi in Kenya.
He'd been working as an engineer with the UN Food Programme
The Ethiopian Airlines flight was bound for the Kenyan capital, Nairobi - but went down minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa.
The cause of the crash hasn't been established yet.
President Michael D Higgins is leading the tributes to Michael Ryan.
Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the air crash in Ethiopia:https://t.co/CYd0LHGRao pic.twitter.com/aZHhJ2hRCL
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) March 10, 2019
Our thoughts tonight are with families of all those lost in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, including Irish engineer Michael Ryan. Michael was doing life-changing work in Africa with the World Food Programme. Deepest sympathies to family, colleagues & friends
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 10, 2019
The WFP family mourns today -- @WFP staff were among those aboard the Ethiopian Airlines flight. We will do all that is humanly possible to help the families at this painful time. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
— David Beasley (@WFPChief) March 10, 2019
