MALAYSIAN AIRCRAFT BOEING 777 SHOT DOWN NEAR RUSSIAN BORDER. 295 PASSENGERS DIED A Malaysian Airlines passenger plane with 295 aboard was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in Ukraine near the Russian border a day after a Ukrainian military jet was downed, according to multiple reports. Multiple reports, including from Russias Interfax news agency, said the Boeing 777 was shot down at cruising altitude. Anton Gerashenko, an adviser to Ukraines Interior Minister told The Associated press that the plane, carrying 280 passengers and 15 crew people onboard was shot down by a missile fired from a Buk launcher. A similar launcher was seen by Associated Press journalists near the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne earlier Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT The President of Ukraine on behalf of the State expresses its deepest and most sincere condolences to the families and relatives of those killed in this terrible tragedy, said a statement released by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenkos office. Every possible search and rescue effort is being made. The airline, which saw one of its fleet disappear over the Indian Ocean in March, confirmed only that an incident had occurred involving the Boeing 777, which was en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam. “Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam, read a tweet from the airline. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow,” read a tweet from Malaysia Airlines’ account. Gerashenko wrote on his Facebook page the plane was flying at an altitude of 33,000 feet when it was hit. A Reuters correspondent near the scene reported seeing burning wreckage and bodies strewn across the ground. A Ukrainian Emergency official told the news agency body parts were scattered up to nine miles around the crash site and at least 100 bodies were seen. The border area where the plane apparently went down, near the city of Kremenchuk, has been embroiled in the larger dispute between Ukraine and ethnic Russian separatists. Fighting has intensified in recent months in the region. A day before, according to the Ukrainian government, a Russian military plane shot down a Ukrainian fighter jet in Ukrainian airspace. Both sides began pointing fingers following reports that the plane was shot down. Eastern Ukraine separatist leader Alexander Borodai told Reuters that Ukrainian military forces shot the jet down, but Kiev denied involvement. KT McFarland, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President Ronald Reagan, and a Fox News national security analyst said it is most likely the attack was the work of Russian separatists, not the Russian or Ukrainian army. “I think it’s far more likely it was rebel forces in eastern Ukraine trying to get the Russian back involved, McFarland said. There was widespread speculation among defense experts that if the Russian separatists were responsible, they were likely targeting a military plane and downed a passenger jet by mistake. Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he has directed the country’s Ministry of Defense to investigate the incident, according to a message on his Twitter account. He said he could not confirm that the plane was shot down. Pentagon Spokesman Col. Steve Warren said he was aware of reports of the downed passenger jet in Ukraine,but did not have further information. A senior White House official said President Obama has been briefed on the incident. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said whether it was intentional or accidental it is an international incident when a passenger jet is shot down. McCaul said he believed only a military grade weapon could have downed the plane. The Boeing jets are equipped with twin Rolls-Royce Trent engines, typically cruises at 35,000 feet at speeds up to 639 miles per hour. On March 8, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, also a Boeing 777 and carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew on a route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, disappeared somewhere over the ocean. It has not been found.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 17:00:25 +0000
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