An Ethiopian airliner transporting 92 passengers and crew crashed in stormy weather following takeoff in Lebanon early on Monday, plunging into the Mediterranean sea, an airport official told AFP.

"Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashed about five minutes after takeoff at 2.30am with 83 passengers and nine crew members," the airport official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Ball of fire seen

He said witnesses saw a ball of fire as the Boeing 737-800 plunged into the sea.

The official said rescuers were trying to reach the plane to determine whether there were any survivors.

Another official said among the passengers headed to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa were 54 Lebanese nationals.

Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi rushed to Beirut Rafiq Hariri International Airport, located on the outskirts of the city, and was to give a statement shortly.

The Boeing 737-800, which entered into commercial service in 1998, is one of the latest versions of the world's most widely used short to medium-haul airliners, and is capable of carrying up to 189 passengers.

Stormy conditions

The accident took place amid heavy rains and storms in Lebanon in the past two days that have caused heavy flooding and damages in some part of the country.

It also comes just one month after a Panamian-flagged ship transporting livestock capsised in similar weather and sank off the coast of northern Lebanon with around 80 sailors on board.

The majority of the sailors were rescued but 26 were unaccounted for and presumed dead.