Michael Ryan, an Irish man working with the United Nations, was among the 157 people killed in a tragic Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday. 

The Irish man among the 157 lives lost in a tragic plane crash in Ethiopia on Sunday has been named as Michael (Mick) Ryan from Co Clare. 

A United Nations aid worker, Ryan now lived in Cork City and is survived by his wife and two children. The Lahinch native was in Ethiopia on work business when the Ethiopian Airlines plane he was traveling on from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya, crashed shortly after takeoff. 

The crash happened on the eve of the annual assembly of the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi and the program confirmed that several members of staff were among those killed. 

Read more: Family of British WWII pilot who crashed his Spitfire in Ireland visit the crash site

Seven World Food Programme workers were among the 157 who died in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash today - among them was Irishman Michael Ryan, from Lahinch, Co Clare. https://t.co/uGyR7A6PkL pic.twitter.com/DmT8lhKwlk

— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) March 10, 2019

The crash left no survivors from the 149 passengers and eight crew members. 

“This is devastating news that we have heard. The family are very well known in the Ennistymon and Lahinch area,” said Co Clare Councillor Bill Slattery.

“Christina looked after kids all her life as a teacher in Scoil Mhuire in Ennistymon and for her to lose her own son in this way, it is very sad news for the family."

Condolences were also offered by Irish President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. 

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 (@campaignforleo) March 10, 2019

“I express my deep sadness for the tragic loss of so many lives in the air crash in Ethiopia and may I convey the deepest sympathy of the Irish people to all the families and communities affected," President Higgins said in tribute to Ryan, who during his career had carried out aid work in Nepal and Bangladesh where he helped alleviate the Rohingya refugee crisis.

“This tragedy affects so many, with passengers from more than 30 countries and from several international organizations on board the flight.