Body search continues after Ethiopian crash

Divers scour the waves and roll off inflatables to recover partially submerged bodies from the chilly seas. Since the Ethiopian Airlines 737 crashed into the sea at 2:35 am this morning a search for survivors has gone on.

That search is now for bodies as Lebanese officials say that none of the 83 passengers and seven crew have survived. Barely half of the 90 have so far been recovered.

Lebanon has been hit by several days of storms and squally weather and sources at the Beirut Airport say a storm was in the vicinity when flight 409  took off for its daily journey to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa

Helicopters and naval ships were scrambled for a rescue effort. The U.S. military has deployed a guided-missile destroyer, the USS-Ramage, as well as a P-3 surveillance aircraft to help with search and rescue efforts.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced a day of mourning and closed schools and government offices. The wife of Denis Pietton, the French ambassador to Lebanon, was on the plane, according to the French embassy. Lebanese officials say the passengers included 54 Lebanese, 22 Ethiopians , one Iraqi, one Syrian, one Canadian of Lebanese origin, one Russian of Lebanese origin, a French woman and two Britons of Lebanese origin.

Speaking at a press conference in Addis Ababa Ethiopian Airlines' CEO Girma Wake said he had no information on the cause of the crash. He said the aircraft had been serviced on Dec. 25 and passed inspection.The aircraft had been leased in September from New York-based CIT Aerospace.