MH17: MAS to take alternative routes to Europe with immediate effect

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) today announced that all European flights operated by the national carrier will be taking alternative routes and avoiding the usual route with immediate effect.

MAS Flight MH17, which was on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, went down in eastern Ukraine.

Malaysia Airlines confirmed that the aircraft did not make a distress call.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Ukrainian authorities believe the plane was shot down.

MAS said in a statement today that the usual flight route was earlier declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. That flight path was over troubled Ukraine.

The International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions, it said.