MH17: Many dead at airliner crash site, AFP reported
AFP reported that dozens of severely mutilated corpses could be seen strewn in the wreckage of a Malaysian airliner. - AFP Pic
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his "deep condolences" to Malaysia's Prime Minister over the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash in Ukraine, a post on the Kremlin's website stated.
CNN reported that Putin "asked to pass the most sincere word of condolences and support to families and relatives of (the crash) victims," the post said.
The first pictures of the crash has emerged from Reuters showing the charred ground where the plane crashed in Grabovo, Donetsk region.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a Twitter post said the government will investigate the incident involving Malaysia Airlines airliner MH17, minutes after news broke about the MH17.
At approximately 11.30pm (Malaysian time), Reuters reported a Malaysian passenger airliner flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in Ukraine near Russian border.
MAS in a Twitter post stated that the airliner has lost contact with its MH17 plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
However, Reuters reported that Interfax cited an aviation industry source saying that the carrier crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border after being shot down.
This video, which has gone viral since it was posted at approximately one hour ago, purportedly contains some footage of the incident.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Armed forces deny their involvement in bringing down the plane though Eastern Ukraine separatists leader Alexander Borodai says that the airliner was shot down by Ukrainian government forces, Reuters reported.
It was also reported that the Emergency Ministry official on site said that body parts were scattered up to 15km from the crash site with at least 100 bodies seen strewn.
As social media is booming with comments on the tragedy, Boeing released the below statement:
Elsewhere, Malaysia Airlines released a notification from Ukrainian ATC that it had lost contact with flight MH17 at 1415 (GMT) at 30km from Tamak waypoint, approximately 50km from the Russia-Ukraine border.
Flight MH17 operated on a Boeing 777 departed Amsterdam at 12.15pm (Amsterdam local time) and was estimated to arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6.10 am (Malaysia local time) the next day.
The flight was carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew onboard.
At the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, an operation centre has been opened and will be operating around-the-clock.
Meanwhile, AFP reported that dozens of severely mutilated corpses could be seen strewn in the wreckage of a Malaysian airliner that crashed Thursday in rebel-held eastern Ukraine but there were no signs of survivors, said its reporter on scene.
Debris was spread out for kilometres and the tail of a passenger jet lay in a corn field with the Malaysian Airlines insignia on it while insurgent fighters and several fire trucks were seen nearby the crash site.
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