THE MALAYSIA AIRLINES MH17 DISASTER

#7 What Happened?

On July 17, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crashed in Eastern Ukraine. The plane, MH17, was bound for Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam. 280 passengers and 15 crew members were on board. All were killed. The airline company released a statement confirming they had received notification contact has been lost with MH17 at 14.15 GMT, approximately 50 km from the Russia-Ukraine border.” The plane was reportedly 33,000 feet in the air. 

#6 Didn’t This Happen Before?

Malaysia Airlines hasn’t had a good track record lately, with flight 370 disappearing without a trace in March 2014. Many now fear this new flight was shot down by a missile. The plane’s wreckage is in the Donetsk region of Eastern Ukraine. Ukraine accused Russia of shooting it down earlier today in the wake of the ongoing Ukraine conflict.  370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur when it disappeared.

#5 Did Anyone See It Crash?

#4 What About Russia and Ukraine?

Donetsk is a stronghold of Russian rebels and early reports have the Russian residents claiming responsibility for shooting down MH17. Reports still differ on the event, but Ukraine’s Prime Minister called the event a “catastrophe.” The area of Donetsk is about 40 km from Russia. The adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, stated on Facebook page that the plane was hit by a missle fired from a Buk launcher. In April, the FAA advised all pilots to stay clear of Ukrainian airspace, according to New York Post.

#3 What’s Up With TWA 800?

The crashing of MH17 comes on July 17, the anniversary of the TWA 800 explosion in 1996. The explosion of TWA 800 is widely rumored to be a terror act, but official causes list the fuel tank exploding as the reason for the tragedy. As MH17 is in the news, attention will undoubtedly turn to TWA 800 again.

#2 Who Was on Board?

#1 What Now?

Recovery efforts will continue, and President Obama will speak about the tragedy. Reuters reports aircraft is still flying above the same region where MH17 went down. CNN and other news outlets are reporting the black box recorder has been found. The President is also talking to Putin about the crash. In the meantime, videos and eyewitness reports are being put online, allowing us a real-time look at every moment of the crash of MH17.