Malaysian Airlines Flight shot down over Ukraine

UPDATE: 4:36pm, 18 July] The Black Box has been found. More Details as soon as we have them here. 

[UPDATE: 2:00pm, 18 July] Malaysia Airlines displayed another Press Release. Showing that the Boeing for MH17 was in very good health

The Malaysian Airline Flight MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine, yesterday. All 295 people onboard died in the crash. The Malaysian Airlines flight was on way back to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam.

Malaysian Airlines confirmed the tragic incident on their website:
Media Statement 2 : MH17 Incident

“With immediate effect, all European flights operated by Malaysia Airlines will be taking alternative routes avoiding the usual route.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur went down in eastern Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines confirms that the aircraft did not make a distress call.

The usual flight route was earlier declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.

As opposed to the earlier statement, the flight was carrying a total number of 298 people – comprising 283 passengers including three infants of various nationalities and 15 crew of Malaysian nationality. Some of the nationalities of the passengers are yet to be determined.” Read the whole statement here

According to Anton Gerashenko, a consultant of Ukraine’s Interior Minister, the Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile fired of a Buk Launcher while over the countries east. Meanwhile US Government Officials confirmed that the aircraft was hit by surface-to-air missiles. At the moment experts worldwide are trying to determin which side launched the missile.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has in a Press Conference at 4.00am officially confirmed that it was the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 that crashed down in the Ukraine. Other facts that he shared were:

• The Flight Route was declared safe by IATA before the flight
• There was no distress call by the flight MH17
• While Ukranian Government believes that the flight was shot down, Malaysian Authorities can not confirm the facts at the moment. If the plane has been shot down, Malaysia insists that the responsible Parties must be brought to justice
• Malaysia will send a special disaster rescue and medical team to the Ukraine.

This RT Video shows quite clear what is happening:

At this point its unclear who is responsible for this tragedy. The leader of the Pro Russian Separatist denied the accusations. “We don’t have weapons that can take down a plane from that altitude,” Tsarev declared. According to other reports the separatists do have those weapons indeed and have taken down multiple Ukrainian military aircrafts. It seems like “An hour before #MH17 went down, separatists were bragging about downing a Ukrainian military plane.”

According to Russian Radio News, the black box has been brought back to Moscow “for investigation,” we read in the Daily Beast. That means unfortunately we might have to wait some longer to get the truth. These last days there have been very heavy fights between Ukranians Military and the Separatists. On thursday the Ukranian Goverment declared that russians had shot down a Ukranian Warplane on late wednesday.

“Today, regardless of nationalities, we are all united in grief,” – PM Najib Razak.

Our wishes and prayers go out to all the Victims familys and loved ones.