A Malaysia Airlines passenger jet which crashed as it
flew over eastern Ukraine with 295 people on board
was reportedly shot down, Al Jazeera reports.
The aircraft, which was flying from Amsterdam to
Kuala Lumpur, was travelling at an altitude of 10,000
metres when it was shot down on Thursday, Russia’s
Interfax reported.
An adviser to the Ukrainian interior ministry told the
news agency the Boeing 777 was brought down by a
Buk ground-to-air missile.
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko denied his
armed forces were involved in the downing of the
airliner.
“Armed Forces of Ukraine did not take action against
any airborne targets,” Poroshenko said.
Malaysian Airlines confirmed it had lost contact with
flight MH17 from Amsterdam, saying the aircraft was
carrying 280 passengers and 15 crew on board.
“Malaysia Airlines confirms it received notification
from Ukrainian ATC that it had lost contact with flight
MH17 at 1415 (GMT) at 30km from Tamak waypoint,
approximately 50km from the Russia-Ukraine border.
“Flight MH17 operated on a Boeing 777 departed
Amsterdam at 12.15pm (Amsterdam local time) and
was estimated to arrive at Kuala Lumpur
International Airport at 6.10 am (Malaysia local time)
the next day,” the statement said.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister reacted on Twitter saying:
“I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed.
We are launching an immediate investigation.”
A flight tracking website showed that one flight path
was interrupted in Ukraine. The plane appeared to
have come down in a region of military action where
Ukrainian government forces are battling pro-Russian
separatists.
A separate unnamed source in the Ukrainian security
apparatus, quoted by Interfax, said the plane
disappeared from radar at a height of 10,000 metres
after which it came down near the town of
Shakhtyorsk.
Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow,
said the plane fell in an area controlled by pro-
Russian separatists.
“The investigation would be very difficult given that
it’s controlled by the rebels,” he said. “Ukrainian
officials are saying that many children were dead.
Some are saying that all died. Reuters is reporting
that body parts were found at the scene. It seems
that it was a very gruesome scene.”
Airplane manufacturer Boeing released a statement
expressing sympathy to those affected by the crash.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those on board
the Malaysia Airlines airplane lost over Ukrainian
airspace, as well as their families and loved ones.
Boeing stands ready to provide whatever assistance
is requested by authorities,” the statement read.
Prior to Thursday’s Malaysian Airlines crash, a
Ukrainian SU-25 attack plane was taken down by an
air-to-air missile according Andriy Lysenko, a
spokesman for Ukraine’s national defence and
Security Council. The pilot safely ejected.

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