DEVELOPING: Malaysia Airlines 777 Crashes In Ukraine

Last Updated: July 17, 2014 at 19:00 EST.

Photo by marcusaffleck via Wikimedia Commons

Earlier today, Malaysia Airlines and air traffic control lost contact with flight MH-17 which was flying from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with 280 passengers and 15 crew members on-board.

The flight was being operated by a Boeing 777-200 with the registration 9M-MRD, and the last known location of the aircraft was at 33,000 feet and N48.56 E37.21 at 13:43Z. FlightRadar24 showed the plane disappearing near Kremenchuk, Ukraine which is located in Eastern Ukraine.

Latest details below:

July 17, 2014 at 1900 EST: Emirates has suspended service to Kiev, and the FAA released the following statement:

The FAA was in contact with US carriers following the crash of Malaysian Air Flight 17. The agency confirms that carriers have voluntarily agreed not to operate in the airspace near the Russian-Ukraine border. The FAA is monitoring the situation to determine whether further guidance is necessary.

Background
On April 3, the FAA issued a Notice to Airman (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S. flight operations until further notice in the airspace over the Crimean region of Ukraine, and portions adjacent to the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The NOTAM does not currently cover the airspace where Malaysian Air flight 17 crashed.

This action was taken due to the unilateral and illegal action by Russia to assert control over Crimean airspace, including international airspace administered by Ukraine without agreement by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

This creates the potential for conflicting air traffic control instructions from Ukrainian and Russian authorities and for the related potential misidentification of civil aircraft in this airspace. This prompted the FAA NOTAM for U.S. flights.

Below is a statement made by Prime Minister Najib Razak:

Yesterday evening, I was informed of the terrible and deeply shocking news that a Malaysia Airlines jet went down in eastern Ukraine.

Malaysia Airlines has confirmed that the jet was Malaysia Airlines flight 17, which was on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

The flight departed Amsterdam at 12.15pm, local time. It was scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.10 am, local, Malaysian time.

The aircraft was a Boeing 777-200.

The aircraft’s flight route was declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

And International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.

Malaysia Airlines has confirmed that the aircraft did not make a distress call.

The flight was carrying a total number of 295 people – comprising 280 passengers and 15 crew members.

Malaysia Airlines is in the process of notifying the next-of-kin of the passengers and crew. All possible care will be provided to the next-of-kin.

The Government of Malaysia is dispatching a special flight to Kiev, carrying a Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team, as well as a medical team.

According to information provided by Kiev Air Traffic Control, the location of the plane’s emergency locator beacon is 48 degrees 7 minutes and 23 seconds North; and 38 degrees 31 minutes and 33 seconds East.

The Ukrainian authorities believe that the plane was shot down.

At this early stage, however, Malaysia is unable to verify the cause of this tragedy.

But we must – and we will – find out precisely what happened to this flight.

No stone can be left unturned.

If it transpires that the plane was indeed shot down, we insist that the perpetrators must swiftly be brought to justice.

Emergency operations centres have been established. In the last few hours, Malaysian officials have been in constant contact with their counterparts in Ukraine and elsewhere.

And I will be speaking to a number of world leaders over the coming hours.

I have had several conversations with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

I have also spoken to the President of Ukraine. He has pledged that there will be a full, thorough and independent investigation, and Malaysian officials will be invited to take part.

The Ukrainian president also confirmed that his government will negotiate with rebels in the east of the country, in order to establish a humanitarian corridor to the crash site.

Just now, I received a call from President Obama.

He and I both agreed that the investigation must not be hindered in anyway.

An international team must have full access to the crash site.

And no one should interfere with the area, or move any debris, including the black box.

This is a tragic day, in what has already been a tragic year, for Malaysia.

As we work to understand what happened, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those onboard the flight.

I cannot imagine what they must be going through at this painful time.

The flight’s passengers and crew came from many different countries.

But today, regardless of nationality, we are all united in grief.

July 17, 2014 at 1730 EST: At a press conference in Amsterdam, officials held a press conference, but there is still a lot not known. Currently, officials are assisting the passenger’s families in Amsterdam.

In Malaysia, the Prime Minister held a press conference and explained that there was no distress signal. Also, they are ready to help, and they have dispatched people to assist in Kiev. Additionally, Ukrainian officials are working to ensure that people will be able to access the crash site safely.

It is being reported that there were 154 Dutch on board; 27 Australian; 23 Malaysia; 11 Indonesia; 6 UK; 4 Germany; 4 Belgium; 3 Philippines; 1 Canada. However, this is not the full list of passengers on-board.

Lastly, it is reporting that U.S. officials have concluded that the plane was shot down because they were able to detect a surface to air system that was tracking an aircraft about the time the plane went down. However, it is not known who shot the plane.

July 17 at 1500 EST:The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, has issued the following statement:

Today, at approximately 4:20 p.m. Malaysian Airlines No. 17, which was flying the route from Amsterdam – Kuala – Lumpur, disappeared from radar screens.

In recent days, this is the third tragic accident, after the AN-26 and SU-25 aircrafts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were shot down from the Russian territory. We do not exclude that this aircraft was also shot down, and stress that the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not commit any actions in the air [at the time of the downing].

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. Every possible search and rescue effort is being made.

The President appealed to the Cabinet in order to quickly create a State commission to investigate the causes of this tragedy. The President proposed to involve the work of experts of the Commission of the ICAO and other international organizations, and representatives of the Netherlands and Malaysia.

We are confident that those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice.

The FAA has issued a notice preventing flights from operating through Ukrainian airspace until further notice. You can read the notice here.

July 17 at 1430 EST: According to Interfax, Pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine say they have found the black box flight recorder.

British Airways and Aeroflot have both told Reuters that there will not be using Ukrainian airspace. However, British Airways says the only flight that will fly in Ukrainian airspace  will be its daily flight to Kiev, but the airline is still keeping the service under review,

The Washington Post writes that “the Buk, also known as the SA-11, is a medium-range mobile missile platform that can engage targets flying at altitudes well above MH17′s last reported figures — by some estimates, as much as 72,000 feet.” Here is a video of one in action.

Video of smoke which locals say is from the crash site.

Map courtesy of Flight Aware.

July 17 at 13:30 EST: As of 1PM EST, Malaysia Airlines has confirmed that it has lost contact with the aircraft, but it has not confirmed that the aircraft has crashed. The airline has put a message via Twitter: “Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow.”

In a statement, Malaysia Airlines says:

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 flight was carrying 280 passengers and 15 crew onboard.

More details to follow.

Some Ukrainian government officials are saying that the aircraft was shot down, according to the Associated Press.

“We are aware of reports on MH17. We’re gathering more information,” Boeing said onTwitter, and in a statement, it said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with those on board MH17, as well as their families and loved ones. We stand ready to provide assistance.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a tweet: “I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation.”

Multiple airlines are now reporting they will elect to avoid airspace over eastern Ukraine.

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