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Bezabih Petros, one of Ethiopia’s notable fighter pilots and member of Ethiopian Air force, is honoured with a statue in Hosaena town in the Hadya zone of Southern Ethiopia.
It was inaugurated on Sunday in the presence of Erstu Yirdaw, president of the regional administration, Ethiopian Air force Commander, Let. Gen. Yilma Merdassa, and Beyene Petros , a notable opposition party leader and brother of the fighter pilot, among others.
The Statue stands 17.5 metres tall and 45.5 million birr is spent on it. It is the Hadya Development Association that reportedly covered the cost of construction. It is unclear if the government has chipped in for the construction.
Bezabih Petros took part in important battles during the war with Somalia and during the Ethio-Eritrean war, between 1998-2000.
What is known about him at this point is that he was captured in Eritrea after he was ejected from an aircraft that was shot by Eritrean forces.
He was in prison for some time but it is not known at this point whether he is dead or alive.
His brother, Beyene Petros, at one point said that he has got information that his brother is alive. It has been more than two years now since Eritrea and Ethiopia closed the state of war chapter of their history, and Ethiopian Airlines flights have resumed to and from Asmara.
The Eritrean government has not officially disclosed about the situation of Beyene Petros to date.
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