Malaysia Airlines: MH17 'shot down' by rebels - Ukrainian official

The Malaysian Airlines (MAS) MH17 was shot down by Ukrainian rebels, a Ukrainian ministry told Bloomberg.

Ukrainian Interior Minister adviser Anton Gerashchenko, the Boeing 777 aircraft flight was hit by a missile known as BUK missile and went down near the eastern town of Torez.

BREAKING: Ukrainian rebels shot down Malaysian Airlines plane, government minister says.
— Bloomberg News (@BloombergNews) July 17, 2014

The plane, carrying 298 passengers including 15 crew members, was on its way to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam.

MAS in a Twitter post confirmed that it 'had lost control of the flight' and the 'last position known was over Ukrainian airspace.'

Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow.
— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) July 17, 2014