Another Malaysian air tragedy

[roadman65]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/malaysian-air-loses-contact-passenger-plane-ukraine/story?id=24599558

[Brandon]

Not just another tragedy.  This seems like a deliberate act by the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

[US71]

Not just another tragedy.  This seems like a deliberate act by the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

I see both sides are already blaming each other

[bing101]

We have Russia and Ukraine accusing each other for being terrorists.

[formulanone]

Whomever's responsible for this act: You are a depraved bunch of cowards.

[corco]

I would be surprised if it was intentional (a plane was meant to be shot down, but they thought it was a military plane is my guess).

In a way, that makes it even more tragic.

[US71]

I would be surprised if it was intentional (a plane was meant to be shot down, but they thought it was a military plane is my guess).

In a way, that makes it even more tragic.

Not the first time, unfortunately.

[nexus73]

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain but Malaysian planes just seem to have a propensity to rain from the sky lately.  What a strange coincidence.

Since SAM's capable of reaching 30K altitude are not terrorist-owned weapons, the responsibility thus falls upon a government.  My guess would be Russia is the culprit either directly or indirectly.  The pot continues to boil and the tinder is getting drier by the day with so many crises going on around the planet.

Rick   

[Billy F 1988]

Yeah, and no one still can figure out what happened to the other flight, MH370. Could Flight 17 be linked with 370 with a direct or indirect possibility of BOTH planes being shot down by SAMs? I mean, good lord, you got families pissed off at their government because they still don't know what happened to their friends or loved ones that boarded MH370. Man. What a sad scene in our worldly society. All of this for corruption. I'm sad to say this, but, it appears the big bad Soviet bear has awakened from its long slumber. And whether they are tied to both MH370 and MH17 or not isn't known, nor will it be known for a while.

[jakeroot]

Diminished value is a bitch, but a real one . . . I'm thinking Malaysia Airlines might have to rebrand.

[Brandon]

I would be surprised if it was intentional (a plane was meant to be shot down, but they thought it was a military plane is my guess).

In a way, that makes it even more tragic.

It was "intentional" in that someone aimed the missile and shot at it.  It was "accidental" in that someone was stupid and mistook a civilian passenger plane for a military plane.  Far from the first time it's happened (see Iran Air 655 as a famous example of such a blunder), but the problem is in who gave who what.

It's suspected that one of two things happened.  A) The Russians gave the rebels the missiles and launcher.  Plausible, and it makes the Russians culpable for providing the rebels with such equipment, or B) The rebels took the missiles and launcher from the Ukrainians.  The latter has some merit as the rebels were crowing about doing exactly that about two and a half weeks ago.  Either way, it makes the rebels look bad.  The Russians look like idiots, IMHO, for even suggesting that the Ukrainians would be using such equipment when the rebels have no airplanes.

[roadman65]

It just seems so off that someone would shoot down a civilian aircraft and of a country that represents no threat to anyone!  It was a government, of course, as no terrorist organization has access, yet, to such weapons capable of bringing down a large jet.  Makes you wonder what is next!  That is why I am not happy about Al Qaeda taking over Iraq, because given time these guys will have access to such weapons.

[Jardine]

Ukrainian separatists were claiming credit for the shoot down till they realized they had blasted a civilian airliner.

Then they pulled their claims from the internet.

If you're looking for a smoking gun, there it is.

[roadman65]

Ukrainian separatists were claiming credit for the shoot down till they realized they had blasted a civilian airliner.

Then they pulled their claims from the internet.

If you're looking for a smoking gun, there it is.

The question is not they did not shoot it down, but what government supported it as missiles are not something that typical radical groups do not own.  It would be like the KKK here in the US blowing up a jetliner with a anti aircraft missile as only major governments of established nations have those in their arsenals.

[agentsteel53]

it's a poorly concealed secret that a large portion of the "pro-Russian separatists" in eastern Ukraine are actually Russian mercenaries.

so, if the missile was launched by anyone with any connection to the separatists, it's completely reasonable to give a lot of the blame to Putin and co.

[mrsman]

I hate to sound insensitive in the face of the tragedy, but shouldn't the airline face part of the blame for this?  Why did they fly through a war zone? 

[bing101]

I hate to sound insensitive in the face of the tragedy, but shouldn't the airline face part of the blame for this?  Why did they fly through a war zone?

Didn't the FAA prohibit airlines from entering Ukraine airspace? In April?  I hope the UNited Nations hold the evidence and try the Terrorists in the Hague.

[Jardine]

Putin is up to his slimy gills in this mess.

[Brandon]

I hate to sound insensitive in the face of the tragedy, but shouldn't the airline face part of the blame for this?  Why did they fly through a war zone?

Didn't the FAA prohibit airlines from entering Ukraine airspace? In April?  I hope the UNited Nations hold the evidence and try the Terrorists in the Hague.

1. The FAA only makes the rules for US airlines, not non-US airlines.

2. The airspace was closed below 32,000 feet.  This plane was at 33,000 feet, 1,000 feet above the closed area.

3. Some other airlines voluntarily avoided the area, but were not required to do so.

The fault is 100% laid at the feet of the rebels in the area and by the country they got the missiles and maybe the expertise from.  Yes, Russia, that means you.

[Henry]

Methinks Malaysian Airlines is cursed. Sure, that last flight disappearing into the sea was bad luck, but this is even worse.

[jakeroot]

I hate to sound insensitive in the face of the tragedy, but shouldn't the airline face part of the blame for this?  Why did they fly through a war zone?

Didn't the FAA prohibit airlines from entering Ukraine airspace? In April?  I hope the UNited Nations hold the evidence and try the Terrorists in the Hague.

The FAA has no jurisdiction in Europe -- not to mention it's an Asian airline with no ties to America.

The area around Donetsk was not a no-fly zone, unlike the South of Crimea, which is. That said, many airlines have begun (prior to this event) to avoid Ukrainian airspace.

[roadman65]

Try suing other countries for damages if your family was on that flight.  I feel bad for all of them as if it were the Russians you won't get compensated for damages to you nor justice either.

[english si]

The question is not they did not shoot it down, but what government supported it as missiles are not something that typical radical groups do not own.

Ukraine had a few stolen by separatist groups near Donetsk recently - the same groups that claimed the attack then denied it when they realised it wasn't a Ukrainian military plane.

While Russian involvement in such groups is blatant, Putin didn't give them the SAMs.

[bing101]

Damn it the evidence is tampered by the rebels and we will never know the real story behind why a missile hit MH 17.

[ET21]

Interesting times we live in ladies and gents