Accusations fly, but perpetrator yet to be pinned down.
By Kevin Manuel
WASHINGTON, DC: The Malaysian passenger jet that crashed in Ukraine earlier today is reported to have been carrying 23 American nationals among the 295 passengers and crew, all of which are confirmed dead, reports Interfax.
The flight, traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was flying at an altitude of 10,000 meters, or 33,000 feet, when it was shot down near the Ukrainian village of Grobovo, according to the Russian news agency.
Malaysian Airlines have confirmed receiving notification of a loss of communication with the Boeing 777 at 1425 GMT when it was about 50 miles from the Russian border.
Reuters reports that the flight disappeared from the radar of Ukrainian airspace regulatory authority, before which, no suspicions were evident of the jet’s fate. The region in which the plane went down is a military zone where Ukrainian government forces are engaging in combat with pro-Russian separatists.
Ukraine has accused terrorists, specifically, the pro-Russian separatists of shooting down the plane, using a Soviet era SA-11 ground-to-air missile called a Buk. The terminology surrounding the specific weapon used is significant because at the altitude the flight was traveling, the only surface to air missile that could reach it at 33,000 feet is a Buk missile.
The Reuters report goes on to say that the leaders of the pro-Russian separatists deny any involvement in the crash.
Al Jazeera news reports that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned American airplanes to avoid the airspace over the area due to “potential conflicting air traffic control instruction from Ukrainian and Russian authorities.”
All groups involved in conflict in the area, the Ukrainian government, pro-Russian separatists, and the Russian government claim innocence in this tragedy.