BEIRUT, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. submarine will join the search work of an Ethiopian airliner which crashed into the Mediterranean sea off Lebanon's coast a week ago, Lebanese daily An-nahar reported on Tuesday.

The Lebanese government has formally asked the U.S.-based Odyssey Marine Explorations to send a submarine to help in recovering the plane and its black boxes, according to the newspaper.

The passenger plane crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Beirut in a fierce storm on Jan. 25, killing 90 people on board.

The report quoted Lebanese Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi as saying that the submarine has set off and should be in Lebanese waters in the next few days.

The rescue teams have recovered 14 bodies as well as some body parts and pieces of the plane. The fuselage and the two black boxes are still missing.

The Boeing 737-800 of Ethiopian Airlines is thought to be at least 1,500 meters beneath the sea.

Officials are especially keen on knowing why the plane veered off course after takeoff, but have ruled out sabotage.

Ethiopian Airlines spokesperson Wogayehu Tefere has said the pilot was experienced and had been with the company for 20 years.

The probe into the disaster includes French and U.S. experts, among them a technical advisor from Boeing.