US confident missile hit MH17 – update 2
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Intelligence authorities in the US have said a missile brought down MH17 although it is not clear who fired it.
Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the Ukraine government has said a Russian-made Buk launcher hit the aircraft, while separatist leader and self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Donetsk region Alexandar Borodai has accused the Ukraine government itself.
Access to the crash site has been limited and it is currently unknown where the aircraft’s black boxes are.
Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysia’s Minister of Transport said on Saturday: “Malaysia is deeply concerned that the crash site has not been properly secured. The integrity of the site has been compromised, and there are indications that vital evidence has not been preserved in place.
“Interfering with the scene of the crash risks undermining the investigation itself. Any actions that prevent us from learning the truth about what happened to MH17 cannot be tolerated. Failure to stop such interference would be a betrayal of the lives that were lost.
“Malaysia calls for all parties to protect the integrity of the crash site, and to allow the investigation to proceed. We urge all those involved to respect the families, and the nations who have lost their sons and daughters in this attack.
“Yes, MH17 has become a geopolitical issue. But we must not forget that it is a human tragedy. Days after the plane went down, the remains of 298 people lie uncovered.”
“The route was ‘safe’”
Much discussion over the last few days has featured heavily on whether the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 should have been flying above the Ukraine. Until last week several airlines including Lufthansa and KLM had continued to fly over the country, although now many have said they will take alternative routes.
IATA’s director general and CEO Tony Tyler said: “I share the shock and sadness expressed by so many around the world on the terrible loss of MH17. At this time, it is important we are very clear: safety is the top priority. No airline will risk the safety of their passengers, crew and aircraft for the sake of fuel savings. Airlines depend on governments and air traffic control authorities to advise which air space is available for flight, and they plan within those limits.
“It is very similar to driving a car. If the road is open, you assume that it is safe. If it’s closed you find an alternate route.
“Civil aircraft are not military targets. Governments agreed that in the Chicago Convention. And what happened with MH 17 is a tragedy for 298 souls that should not have happened in any airspace.”
Lai added: “MH17’s flight path was a busy major airway, like a highway in the sky. The flight and its operators followed the rules. But on the ground, the rules of war were broken. In an unacceptable act of aggression, it appears that MH17 was shot down; its passengers and crew killed by a missile.”
Malaysian personnel fly out to sites
Earlier today Malaysia Airlines announced it has retired the MH17 flight number and from Friday its flights from Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur will instead be known as MH19.
On Saturday 212 government officials and airline staff arrived in Amsterdam and Kiev including 85 Malaysia Airlines ‘Go Team’ members of which five will travel to the crash site in Donetsk. Lai is now in the Ukraine along with the airline’s CEO and chairman and the director general of Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation.
The B777 crashed on Thursday with 295 people onboard including 173 from the Netherlands, 44 Malaysians, 27 from Australia and nine from the UK.
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