KUALA LUMPUR: A MALAYSIA Airlines Boeing 777 jetliner crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border last night, wire reports and witnesses said.
MAS in its tweet confirmed it had lost contact with MH17, carrying 280 passengers and 15 crew, which was bound for Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam.
On its Twitter account, MAS stated: “Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was
over Ukrainian airspace. More
details to follow.”
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein tweeted he had directed the ministry to get confirmation if flight MH17 had been shot down as reported by several foreign agencies.
Interfax, citing “a source in the aviation circles”, said “Boeing Malaysia airlines operate flights to Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur for 80.47km before entering the
airspace of Russia, began to decline. It was subsequently found burning on the ground in Ukraine, the source said.
A Ukrainian Interior Ministry official said 23 American were aboard the plane. The French Foreign Minister said at least four french nationals were onboard.
Reuters reported dozens of bodies were scattered around the smouldering wreckage.
An emergency services rescue worker said at least 100 bodies had so far been found at the scene, near the village of Grabovo, and debris from the wreckage was scattered across an area up to about 15 km in diametre.
Broken pieces of the wings were marked with blue and red paint — the same colours as the emblem of the Malaysian airline.
Eyewitnesses said the jet appeared to explode in mid-air.
Interfax also quoted Ukrainian military expert Dmitry Tymchuk as saying the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed to the north of
Torez in the Donetsk region, according to Ukrainian journalist Myroslava.
On July 8, the State Aviation Administration of Ukraine closed the airspace to civilian aircraft after a military transport plane was shot down.
CNN aviation safety consultant Mary Schiavo said the route taken by the Malaysian jetliner was a common one between Kuala Lumpur and the Netherlands.
She said the plane was flying over a troubled area and said close communication with air traffic controllers would be a key necessity.
In a hostile or disputed areas, “any alteration from your course and you can have a problem”.
Tensions have been high between Ukraine and Russia since street protests forced former pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych from power in February.
Russia subsequently annexed Ukraine’s southeastern Crimea region and a pro-Russia separatist rebellion has been raging in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
Ukrainian forces have been struggling to quell the separatist unrest. Ukraine’s government has accused Russia of allowing weapons and military equipment, including tanks, to cross the border illegally into the hands of pro-Russia separatists.
Yesterday, CNN reported Ukrainian officials accusing a Russian fighter of shooting down a Ukrainian jet on Wednesday as that aircraft flew in Ukrainian airspace.
Tensions are high over that incident, separate from the breaking news of the Malaysian flight yesterday. Yesterday’s report of the downed Malaysia flight marks the second time this year Malaysia Airlines has faced an incident involving a plane.