Report: 23 Americans On Board Malaysia Airlines Jet That Was Allegedly Shot Down The plane, carrying 295 souls, went down near the Russia/Ukraine border.

July 17, 2014  |  

 

The Associated Press is reporting that a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane was allegedly shot down in Ukraine near the Russian border Thursday. An advisor to the Ukraine's Interior Minister confirmed the report at 11:40am. The plane was flying at an altitude of 33,000 feet when it was shot down by a surface-to-air missile, Ukraine officials are reporting on Facebook.
A Russian aviation industry source told Reuters news service that the 777 did not enter Russian airspace when it was expected, but crashed in eastern Ukraine.
The Boeing 777 had 280 passengers and 15 crew members,  Interfax reported citing an an aviation industry source. It is reported that all passengers and crew have been killed. Twenty-three Americans were reportedly on the flight. 
Political tensions and violence have been high in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border. The Ukranian government is alleging that separatist rebels shot down the plane, and the separatists are blaming Kiev. 
Flight Aware shows the flight had departed from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the main airport in the Netherlands, to Kuala Lumpur International Airport outside Kuala Lumpur, the most populous city in Malaysia. http://www.alternet.org/ap-malaysia-airlines-jet-shot-down-over-ukraine