Urgent: Plane crashed in Ukraine, 295 people are dead

Ukraine’s government confirmed that a Malaysia Airlines passenger airline crashed in eastern Ukraine late this afternoon, close to the Russian border. Kyiv Post writes about this. 

The plane was carrying 295 people on board, according to Interfax news agency, including 280 passengers and 15 crew members. The flight departed at 12:14 p.m. from Amsterdam en route to Kuala Lumpur, and was reportedly shot down around 4:20 p.m. It is presumed that all 295 people are dead, according to Ukrainian Interior Ministry spokesman Anton Gerashchenko.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced that the government is launching an investigation into the incident, but called the event “a terrorist act.” He said Ukrainian forces had nothing to do with the plane crash. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said the plane was brought down by a missile. Government emergency officials were holding a news conference at 8:30 p.m. on July 17.

Malaysian President Mohd Najib Tun Razak tweeted: “I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation.”