Why this plane was over this area is way beyond me. All the warning signs were out there, military aircraft have already been shot down in this area, and other airlines were already avoiding this region, you bet they were going to target Civilian aircraft as a tool to blame someone else for it. On top of that it turns out it was a Malaysia flight that flew over this region, like they don't have enough problems as it is. Probably the end of Malaysia Airlines now because I don't think they can survive this.

 

I believe there were at least two flights, Air India and Singapore airlines flying nearby at the time of the shootdown. So seems like Malaysian wasn't the only one not taking the risk seriously. 

Bless the flight dispatcher at Amsterdam, being one of the last people to ever step on that plane and come off alive! I can't imagine what pain he/she is experiencing right now! 

I believe there were at least two flights, Air India and Singapore airlines flying nearby at the time of the shootdown. So seems like Malaysian wasn't the only one not taking the risk seriously. 

 

Unbelievable, complete lack of discretion.

 

 

Uncomfirmed reports that there may have been 27 Australians on board this flight...

 

It is also been reported that 23 American were also aboard that flight.

Could a moderator take the word "Another" out of the thread title? My first thought was that a second Malaysian 777 was shot down in the Ukraine today for a total of 2.

 

Edit: Actually how about "Malaysian 777 down in Ukraine" The thread title is extremely confusing.

Why this plane was over this area is way beyond me. All the warning signs were out there

 

The aircraft was doing what every other airliner has been doing since the conflict started. Cruising at the correct altitude and squawking a civilian code.  Conflict areas exist globally, right now we have commercial airliners flying over Iraq & Afghanistan.  

 

No way was this intentional, this is a huge headache for all sides involved and serves no purpose.  No one has anything to gain from this.

 

Regarding Malaysian, they are voted in the top 10 airlines in the world. They are not going under, this is just a terrible tragedy.  In fact with your logic United and American airlines should be out of business.

Russia is no Iraq/Afghanistan.

Good point.  If you want wild speculation with no facts....tune in to CNN.

 

Or A.net.

Regarding discussions on "why the plane was in this area" .......

 

If commercial airliners did not fly over or near areas of conflict, think of the % of the world that would need to be 'circumvented' :-

 

 (these are just from memory) ;-

 

- The entire middle east region,

- Iraq and the gulf region

- Huge sections of Central Asia; Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan,

- Ukraine

- Eastern Moldova / Transdniestria

- Large sections near the Caspian (Chechnyya, Dagestan, Nagorno Karabakh, etc)

- Northern Iberia

- Around 30% of continental Africa, especially around Nigeria, Niger, Sudan, Somalia and Congo

- etc, etc, etc.

 

Surely 9/11 taught us that if evil forces have the will and means, terrible tragedies can happen anywhere in the world  - not just in war zones.

 

Like it or not, many long-haul and short-haul flights overfly areas of conflict.    As FLEX1978 said, 99.99% of the time, the fact that the airliner is squawking a civilian code will mean it is not a target.  If that frightens you, then just consider what terrorists have done during 9/11, or in Madrid, or the Tokyo Subway, or the London Tube attacks of 7/7/05.

 

You are generally 'safe' due to the law of averages - not because your aircraft avoids all areas of conflict on the ground.   If evil people want to be evil, unfortuntely, they will do it - regardless of geogarphy.

 

It is clear the aircraft was shot down by a surface to air missile.  But who and how exacted this evil act is certainly not known for sure.  Imaginitive Speculation may be 'interesting' but it's also quite disrespectful towards the men, women, children and families whose lifes were wiped out today.

 

IMO, it's a time for prayer for the souls and their families, and for praying that the world will some day, some how, become a more peaceful place.

The surface to air missile used can reach heights of 72,000 feet.  That's some pretty advanced weaponry

Regarding Malaysian, they are voted in the top 10 airlines in the world. They are not going under, this is just a terrible tragedy.  In fact with your logic United and American airlines should be out of business.

 

SwissAir comes to mind......Government restructuring and rebranding and perhaps selling off the assets.

 

United and American are private and Malaysian Airlines is a state asset just like SwissAir was, Governments handle things differently then the Private Sector

It is also been reported that 23 American were also aboard that flight.

Confirmed numbers: 15 crew members, and 283 passengers of which are:

154 Dutch

27 Australian

23 Malaysian

11 Indonesian

6 British

4 German

4 Belgian

3 Phillipine

1 Canadian

 

The nationality of 47 persons is at this time unknown.

There is an other video showing falling debris after the plane hit the ground.

Looked to me like rising debris, being blown by the wind and inferno below.

 

 

This is not warfare/politics topic anyway

 

Mind you, now that we have pretty certain confirmation that is was a SAM shoot-down, the lines get very blurry rather quickly. 

The human race is better at killing than at saving lives.