Malaysian airliner crashes in Ukraine near Russian border, possibly shot down

[Johnny English]

23 US citizens, 4 French. Don't know any others yet.

[Miamipuck]

I have to ask this though, why the freak were they flying over that airspace?

[ons]

I have to ask this though, why the freak were they flying over that airspace?

Apparently it's common for commercial airlines to fly over those types of areas because normal rebel groups don't have the capability to even come close to that kind of range and national armies are smart enough not to destroy civilian flights. Apparently commercial flights were still flying over Afghanistan and Iraq throughout most of our military interventions there from what I read today:

My colleague Dan Milmo in London reports that it has been normal practice for airlines to fly over conflict zones since the Ukraine conflict began. He interviewed a pilot for a major European airline:

"We would often avoid areas where there is air-to-air conflict, but we flew over Iraq and Afghanistan when the British and US armed forces were delpoyed there, because only one side was using military jets."

Explaining why airlines fly over conflict zones where groups might be in possession of ground-to-air missiles, the pilot said: "There will be weapons based on the ground when you are at 30,000 feet, but that is far up in the air. There are not many missile systems that can be so accurate."

[Badger]

"There will be weapons based on the ground when you are at 30,000 feet, but that is far up in the air. There are not many missile systems that can be so accurate."

Good to know that our airlines are operating under the attitude of "eh, it's probably fine."

[Johnny English]

Like I said earlier, I would think there's an expectation that if an army is operating SAMs it's also in possession of some form of IFF transponder and is therefore capable of identifying the difference between military and civilian aircraft.

[Miamipuck]

I don't care if it's normal it's freaking stupid. The FAA instructed US airlines back in may April to not fly over the area.

[Badger]

For the idiot's perspective on this: http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/2ayzmj/mh17_discussion_thread/

[IATA]

Well, it's Malaysian Air, not exactly top notch

[Johnny English]

Well, it's Malaysian Air, not exactly top notch

They're one of the top ranked airlines in the world, they're one of only seven ranked as a 5 star airline by Skytrax.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

[Heismanberg]

For the idiot's perspective on this: http://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/2ayzmj/mh17_discussion_thread/

WHO FILMED THIS?  WERE THEY READY? 

[Badger]

WHO FILMED THIS?  WERE THEY READY? 

Smoky Joe did 9/11

[IATA]

And now they can add #1 in passenger death!

Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk

[bojanglesman]

That's why Lori Humongous and I are stayin' right here in 'murica.

[Badger]

http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/prankster-poses-as-ukraine-eyewitness-calls-msnbc-host-1606767078/+bubbaprog

[Tommy]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0e5_1405626203

NSFL.