Malaysian air crash: Plane was shot down by air missile with eight Britons on board

A plane which crashed on the Ukraine-Russian border was shot down by a missile according to the Ukrainian government.

plane

by Fiona Day |
Published on

US president Barack Obama made a speech on national television following the tragedy.

He said: “The world is watching reports of a downed passenger jet near the Russia-Ukraine border. It looks like it may be a terrible tragedy. Right now we're working to determine whether there were American citizens onboard. That is our first priority and I've directed my national security team to stay in close contact with the Ukrainian government.

"The US will offer any assistance we can to determine what happened and why. As a country our thoughts and prayers are with all the families of the passengers, wherever they call home.”

Former commercial pilot Danny Fyne told a UK newspaper that he was surprised the plane flew over Crimea after a transport plane was shot down in the region earlier this week.

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Russian and Ukraine news channels have been reporting from the wreckage

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"Flights have already been diverted away from Crimea," he said. "I find it unusual that the flight went over this area."

295 people were on board the flight including 8 Britons, which was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Many Dutch nationals were also onboard the plane when it crashed earlier today.

The route is popular with Europeans looking to holiday in South East Asia or Australia.

Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko claims that the downing of the plane is an ‘act of terrorism.’

Russian president Vladmir Putin denied any Russian involvement in the downing, branding claims as ‘stupidity.’

Authorities are now set with the grim task of identifying those onboard the aircraft and contacting the passengers’ loved ones.

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