Almost 300 people are presumed dead after a Malaysia Airlines jet crashed in eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.
Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was flying over the conflict-hit region when it disappeared from radar. Some 283 passengers and 15 crew members were on board.![_76337758_ukraine_malaysia_plane_976_latest](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tVYS55hO0m6pd69ic_fygpzhO2_Er9p0EW0kw8On37Pln01CmiDkZxXM1Yu3HsYMTJHaNywZTpL5OVV3B_bpge9LVetqdwetDQwBVZoN4ikzplSOt-qFX_pJbyUjlMrHR8tbdHQosccHzCXHQDbUHNeiJKZqnxCsgmQFQQrunEKg=s0-d)
What type of plane was it?
The crashed plane was a Boeing 777-200ER, the same model as that of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 – Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER
Crew: 15
Passengers: 280
Left Amsterdam: 10:15 GMT
Lost contact: 14:15 GMT at 10,000m (33,000ft)
What happened?
According to Malaysia Airlines, the plane departed Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport at 10:15 GMT (12:15 local time) on 17 July and was due to arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 22:10 GMT (06:10 local time).
The airline lost contact four hours later at 14:15 GMT – 50km from the Russia-Ukraine border.
Footage later emerged of the crash site, and witnesses spoke of dozens of bodies on the ground.
What caused the crash?
Ukrainian government adviser Anton Herashchenko alleges that the plane was hit by a missile fired by a Buk launcher – a Russian-made, medium-range surface-to-air missile system.
Ukrainian authorities later release a recording they say is a conversation between pro-Russian militants admitting to shooting down the plane.
The US has said the plane was brought down by a missile, but it is unclear who fired it.
Separatist leader Alexander Borodai accused the Ukrainian government of downing the airliner itself.
“Apparently, it’s a passenger airliner indeed, truly shot down by the Ukrainian air force,” he told Russia’s state-run Rossiya 24 TV broadcaster.
Both the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels who have been fighting in the region have denied shooting it down.
Buk surface-to-air missile system
Also known as SA-11 Gadfly (or newer SA-17 Grizzly)
Russian-made, mobile, medium range system
Weapons: Four surface-to-air missiles
Missile speed (max): Mach 3
Target altitude (max): 22,000 metres (72,000ft)
Source: Global Security
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