Friday, July 18, 2014

298 Lives Lost After Missile Strikes Malaysia Airflight MH 17 Over Ukraine

Malaysia Airlines alleged that terrorists launched a surface-to-air missile striking flight MH 17 and causing debris to crash in the Ukraine killing 298 passengers including 15 crew members.

By H. Nelson Goodson
July 17, 2014

Ukraine - On Thursday, Malaysia Airlines flight MH 17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile killing 298 passengers including 15 crew members. MH 17's debris came down crashing in a remote area known as Grabovo in the Donetsk Region, Ukraine controlled by rebels backed by Russia, which made it difficult to recover the bodies and allow investigators in the area. The hundreds of bodies and body parts, which are not expected to be removed from the site will decompose within days.
The missile is believed to have originated from the Russian border nearly 35 miles from where MH 17 crashed, according to a preliminary investigation. Flight MH 17 was heading to Kuala Lumper from Amsterdam in a cruising altitude when it was struck by a missile. 
The U.S. and the Malaysian government suspect that a terrorist group was responsible for the deadly attack. An ongoing fight between rebels backed by Russia and the Ukrainian government troops has escalated in the area. Each faction is blaming the other for the attack on MH 17.
The Ukrainian security forces say, that they intercepted a communications in which Igor Belzer, the rebel leader; Vasily Geranin, aka, Major and another rebel called Greek were discussing the strike on the plane. Other rebels were sent to the crash site.
Belzer confirmed that he and the Minera Group had just shot down a plane. Major responded, the plane broke apart in the air and came down over some homes.
Since the downing of MH 17, all European flights have been assigned alternative routes to avoid the usual route over Ukraine. Malaysia airlines representatives in a statement said, "With immediate effect, all European flights operated by Malaysia Airlines will be taking alternative routes avoiding the usual route...As opposed to the earlier statement, the flight was carrying a total number of 298 people – comprising 283 passengers including three infants of various nationalities and 15 crew of Malaysian nationality. Some of the nationalities of the passengers are yet to be determined." 

Nationality of deceased passengers:

Netherlands - 154

Malaysia - 43 (including 15 crew & 2 infants)

Australia -  27

Indonesia - 12 (including 1 infant)

United Kingdom - 9

Germany - 4

Belgium - 4

Philippines - 3

Canada - 1

Unverified 41

Total 298

Several hundred bodies of MH 17 flight victims unaccounted for, probe continues.

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