This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/malaysia-airlines-plane-crash-boeing-jet-carrying-295-people-crashes-in-ukraine-9612882.html
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash: 'Nine Britons and 80 children' feared dead after Boeing passenger jet 'shot down' near Ukraine-Russia border | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nine Britons are reported to be among those killed when a passenger jet was 'shot down' over the eastern Ukraine border today. | |
| The Malaysian national carrier said that the British passport holders were travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on board the Boeing 777. There were also unconfirmed reports that 23 American citizens had taken the flight. | |
| A spokesman from The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was working to identify any British victims of the tragedy. “We are aware of the reports and are urgently working to establish what has happened," he said. | |
| The Ukrainian Interior Minister is reported to have said that 23 US citizens and 80 children were also on board flight MH17, according to various agencies reporting from the scene. | |
| Both pro-Russia rebels and the Ukraine government have denied any involvement after the Malaysian Airlines plane came down over the Donetsk region. | Both pro-Russia rebels and the Ukraine government have denied any involvement after the Malaysian Airlines plane came down over the Donetsk region. |
| Ukraine's Interior Minister said that the aircraft was shot down with 295 people on board 280 passengers and 15 crew. | |
| A man works at putting out a fire at the site of the plane crash Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected claims by Ukraine rebels that Kiev was responsible for the disaster and said his country's armed forces didn't shoot at any airborne targets. | |
| “We do not exclude that this plane was shot down, and we stress that the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not take action against any airborne targets,” he said. “We are sure that those who are guilty in this tragedy will be held responsible.” | “We do not exclude that this plane was shot down, and we stress that the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not take action against any airborne targets,” he said. “We are sure that those who are guilty in this tragedy will be held responsible.” |
| An official statement from the Ukraine government blamed Russian air defence systems it claimed are protecting "terrorists" in the area. | |
| It said: "A large passenger aircraft Boeing 777, performing a flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur, was shot down in the eastern part of Ukraine. According to the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces, the airplane was shot down by the Russian Buk missile system as the liner was flying at an altitude of 10,000 meters. | |
| Ukraine has no long-range air defence missile systems in this area. | |
| The plane was shot down, because the Russian air defence systems was affording protection to Russian mercenaries and terrorists in this area. | |
| Ukraine will present the evidence of Russian military involvement into the Boeing crash. | |
| The leader of the terrorists Igor Girkin (Strelkov) immediately commented on the airplane catastrophe, believing that it was the Ukrainian jet that crashed down: “In Torez An-26 was shot down, its crashes are lying somewhere near the coal mine “Progress”. We have warned everyone: do not fly in our skies.” | |
| Anton Gerashenko, an aide to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, wrote on his Facebook page that the Boeing airliner, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was at an altitude of 33,000ft when it was hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher and crashed near the city of Donetsk - a stronghold of pro-Russian rebels. | Anton Gerashenko, an aide to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, wrote on his Facebook page that the Boeing airliner, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was at an altitude of 33,000ft when it was hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher and crashed near the city of Donetsk - a stronghold of pro-Russian rebels. |
| Earlier, Aleksandr Boroday, Prime Minister of Donetsk People's Republic, denied the jet had been shot down by the rebels, who are backed by Russia, and called the incident a “provocation by the Ukrainian military”. | Earlier, Aleksandr Boroday, Prime Minister of Donetsk People's Republic, denied the jet had been shot down by the rebels, who are backed by Russia, and called the incident a “provocation by the Ukrainian military”. |
| “We confirm that the plane crashed not far from Donetsk,” Boroday said. “Representatives of Donetsk People's Republic have headed to the scene of the plane search.” | “We confirm that the plane crashed not far from Donetsk,” Boroday said. “Representatives of Donetsk People's Republic have headed to the scene of the plane search.” |
| Emergencies Ministry members work at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region “Self-defence forces have no air-defence, which could target transport aircraft at that height,” he told Interfax. | Emergencies Ministry members work at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region “Self-defence forces have no air-defence, which could target transport aircraft at that height,” he told Interfax. |
| Russia’s military has also said that none of its military planes have been flying close to the Russia-Ukraine border on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported citing a military official. | Russia’s military has also said that none of its military planes have been flying close to the Russia-Ukraine border on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported citing a military official. |
| Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 takes off from Schiphol airport near Amsterdam The US senator John McCain has warned that there will be “hell to pay” if the Russia military or Ukrainian separatists are deemed to have had any involvement in the 'incident'. | |
| He said: “If the Malaysian plane was shot down, this is obviously a game changer and has horrific consequences." | |
| “It has the earmarks of a tragic mistake made by someone who had the capability to just shoot down an aircraft, and we know at least from the last couple of weeks that that could be Russian or separatist Russian capability.” | “It has the earmarks of a tragic mistake made by someone who had the capability to just shoot down an aircraft, and we know at least from the last couple of weeks that that could be Russian or separatist Russian capability.” |
| "But if it is the result of either separatist or Russian actions mistakenly believing this was a Ukrainian war plane, I think there’s going to be hell to pay and there should be," he said in an interview on MSNBC, citing previous reports of separatists shooting down Ukrainian fighter planes. | "But if it is the result of either separatist or Russian actions mistakenly believing this was a Ukrainian war plane, I think there’s going to be hell to pay and there should be," he said in an interview on MSNBC, citing previous reports of separatists shooting down Ukrainian fighter planes. |
| The aircraft involved is understood to be a Boeing 777 with flight number MH17, which departed from Amsterdam at 12.14am local time, 15 minutes later than scheduled, according to flight records. | The aircraft involved is understood to be a Boeing 777 with flight number MH17, which departed from Amsterdam at 12.14am local time, 15 minutes later than scheduled, according to flight records. |
| It was expected to arrive in Malaysia at 6:10am local time, but did not enter Russian airspace when it was expected to, a Russian aviation source told Reuters. | It was expected to arrive in Malaysia at 6:10am local time, but did not enter Russian airspace when it was expected to, a Russian aviation source told Reuters. |
| The Interfax report said the plane came down 50 km (20 miles) short of entering Russian airspace. It "began to drop, afterwards it was found burning on the ground on Ukrainian territory," the unnamed source said. | The Interfax report said the plane came down 50 km (20 miles) short of entering Russian airspace. It "began to drop, afterwards it was found burning on the ground on Ukrainian territory," the unnamed source said. |
| The Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has ordered an investigation into what he has called an "airplane catastrophe", his spokeswoman Olga Lappo said on Thursday. | |
| His comments were followed by a tweet by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who said he was "shocked" by reports of a plane crash, and that an investigation was being launched into the incident immediately. | His comments were followed by a tweet by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who said he was "shocked" by reports of a plane crash, and that an investigation was being launched into the incident immediately. |
| I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation. | I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation. |
| This video posted online purported to show the aftermath of the crash | This video posted online purported to show the aftermath of the crash |
| A separate unnamed source in the Ukrainian security apparatus, quoted by Interfax, said the plane disappeared from radar at a height of 10,000 metres after which it came down near the town of Shakhtyorsk. | A separate unnamed source in the Ukrainian security apparatus, quoted by Interfax, said the plane disappeared from radar at a height of 10,000 metres after which it came down near the town of Shakhtyorsk. |
| Malaysia Airlines posted a tweet on its official account confirming it had "lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam". | Malaysia Airlines posted a tweet on its official account confirming it had "lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam". |
| "The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow." | "The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow." |
| Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow. | Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow. |
| Virgin Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways have confirmed that they are diverting most of their flights away from Ukrianian airspace. | |
| A spokesman from BA said: “The safety and security of our customers is always our top priority. Our flights are not using Ukrainian airspace, with the exception of our once a day service between Heathrow and Kiev. | |
| “We are keeping those services under review, but Kiev is several hundred kilometres from the incident site." |