PHUKET: A Malaysian airliner was shot down over eastern Ukraine by militants on Thursday, killing all 298 people aboard, a Ukrainian interior ministry official was quoted as saying by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Malaysia Airlines System later confirmed that 283 passengers and 15 crew were killed when the Boeing 777 was downed on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
It's not known at this stage whether there is any connection between the destruction of Flight MH17 and the continuing mystery of Flight MH370, which disappeared bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur in March.
A statement from MAS ''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.''
Dozens of bodies were scattered around the smouldering wreckage of the plane, near the village of Grabovo, about 25 miles from the Russian border, according to reporters at the scene.
Local emergency workers said at least 100 bodies had been found so far, and wreckage was scattered across an area nine miles in diameter.
''I was working in the field on my tractor when I heard the sound of a plane and then a bang and shots. Then I saw the plane hit the ground and break in two. There was thick black smoke,'' a witness, who gave his name only as Vladimir, told Reuters.
The jet crashed in an area where separatist rebels have been engaging Ukrainian military forces in recent weeks.
Ukrainian officials have said Flight MH17 was shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft system, also known as a SA-11.
The defense official said based on those initial reports the strike by a surface-to-air missile appears to be the most likely cause of the crash.
Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin told reporters: ''We didn't do it.''
The Boeing 777 would have been carrying Dutch holidaymakers as well as Malaysians returning home. There were also reports of some US passengers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama have discussed the crash, both the White House and the Kremlin confirmed.
A press conference on MH17 with Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak was due to be held at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Since the previous MAS flight disappeared four months ago, speculation has included that it was destroyed by a missile.
The search for MH370, which disappeared on the other side of the world with 239 passengers and crew on board, is continuing.
Malaysia Airlines System later confirmed that 283 passengers and 15 crew were killed when the Boeing 777 was downed on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
It's not known at this stage whether there is any connection between the destruction of Flight MH17 and the continuing mystery of Flight MH370, which disappeared bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur in March.
A statement from MAS ''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.''
Dozens of bodies were scattered around the smouldering wreckage of the plane, near the village of Grabovo, about 25 miles from the Russian border, according to reporters at the scene.
Local emergency workers said at least 100 bodies had been found so far, and wreckage was scattered across an area nine miles in diameter.
''I was working in the field on my tractor when I heard the sound of a plane and then a bang and shots. Then I saw the plane hit the ground and break in two. There was thick black smoke,'' a witness, who gave his name only as Vladimir, told Reuters.
The jet crashed in an area where separatist rebels have been engaging Ukrainian military forces in recent weeks.
Ukrainian officials have said Flight MH17 was shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft system, also known as a SA-11.
The defense official said based on those initial reports the strike by a surface-to-air missile appears to be the most likely cause of the crash.
Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin told reporters: ''We didn't do it.''
The Boeing 777 would have been carrying Dutch holidaymakers as well as Malaysians returning home. There were also reports of some US passengers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama have discussed the crash, both the White House and the Kremlin confirmed.
A press conference on MH17 with Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak was due to be held at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Since the previous MAS flight disappeared four months ago, speculation has included that it was destroyed by a missile.
The search for MH370, which disappeared on the other side of the world with 239 passengers and crew on board, is continuing.
May be Ukraine government should ask Malaysia to get its troops to Donetsk region to fight rebels off, who shooting passengers planes? Malaysia is no NATO, so Mr.Putin should be satisfied, that no NATO troops along his borders..
Posted by Sue on July 18, 2014 00:59