Listen Live
St Jude banner
CLOSE

 

(RNN) – A ground-to-air missile destroyed a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet flying over Ukraine near its border with Russia, according to a Ukraine official.

Anton Gerashchenko, Advisor to Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said the plane crashed near the city of Donetsk, a stronghold for pro-Russian forces.

The Boeing 777 aircraft was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur and had 295 people on board. All are believed to be dead.

An Associated Press reporter at the site counted at least 22 bodies on the ground. The wreckage was strewn over an area nine miles wide.

Initial reports also said the plane came apart at altitude, which likely indicates the plane was shot down. A report stated there were 23 Americans on the flight, but Jen Psaki with the U.S. State Department said she could not confirm that.

Gerashchenko claimed on his Facebook page that a Buk missile system was used to shoot down the plane, not an on-the-shoulder missile launcher, and it’s unlikely pro-Russian rebels have access to that type of sophisticated weaponry.

The plane was flying at 33,000 feet, and a shoulder missile launcher has a range of 15,000.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko called it the result of a “terrorist action.”

“Armed Forces of Ukraine did not take action against any airborne targets,” he said.

Rebels said they did not shoot down the plane and blamed the Ukrainian government.

 

READ MORE: 19ActionNews.com

Article and Picture Courtesy of RNN and WOIO 19 Action News

Young Filipino Girl Wakes Up at Her Own Funeral
LSAP Radio Logo 2020
0 photos