Was It An Accident?
While it is too early to know who shot down Malaysian Airlines flight
MH-17 over Ukraine yesterday, it would be good to remember that
airlines have accidentally been shot down numerous times in the past.
After all, the Malaysian airlines plane was way off course:
The plane flew over a war zone, which was well-known to be a “no fly zone” with “restricted airspace”.
The Los Angeles Times reports:
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was cruising just 1,000 feet above restricted airspace when it was struck by a missile in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to aviation and intelligence officials.
Despite ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine, including the recent downing of two military aircraft, Ukrainian aviation officials had closed the region’s airspace only below 32,000 feet in altitude.
The Boeing 777, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, with 298 people aboard, was at 33,000 feet when it vanished from radar screens, according to European aviation authorities.
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In recent days, though, military aircraft were downed by antiaircraft munitions, which should have concerned aviation authorities, he said.
Reuters notes:
Malaysia Airlines filed a flight plan requesting to fly at 35,000 feet throughout Ukraine airspace but was instructed by Ukraine air traffic control to fly at 33,000 feet upon entry ….