PM David Cameron Express Shock At New Tragedy To Hit Malaysian Airlines

by Benson Agoha

Prime Minister David Cameron expressed shock last night over the latest tragedy to hit Malasian Airlines, whose flight MH17 was shot down yesterday.

Initial reports said there were 9 Brittons and many passengers from other countries.  The majority of the passenger were from the Netherlands.

In a twitter post, the PM said "I'm shocked and saddened by the Malaysian air disaster. Officials from across Whitehall are meeting to establish the facts," latter he added "I've just spoken to the Dutch PM, Mark Rutte. I told him we grieve with him and the Dutch people."

* Debris from the Wreckage of the tragic Malaysian plane
MH17 shot down over Ukraine yesterday. Photo Credit: Getty

A new tragedy hit Malaysian Airlines, owners of the ill-fated MH370 which went missing shortly after take off  on March 8.

This time MH17, a Boeing 777 which reportedly received a clean bill of health only recently, was carrying around 300 passengers when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine city of Donesk, where seperatists have been fighting for Crimea-style attachment to Russia since May.

MH17 was blasted off the skies when a ground-to-air missile hit it over grasslands close to the Russian border.  It was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

* Initial Country List of passengers aboard ill-fated Flight MH17. Photo Credit: BBC.

While actual number varry, initial reports said the flight had 173 Dutch nationals, 27 Australians, 4 Germans, 4 Belgians, 3 Philippinos, 1 Canadian, 1 New Zealander and 44 Malasians when it was brought down. It was totally destroyed, with debris, human bodies and baggage scattered over several miles around the disaster field. The figure for Astralia was later adjusted to 28.

As the world waits for a formal briefing due from Malaysian Airlines bosses in Kuala Lumpur, accusations and counter-accusation of who was responsible makes the rounds.

In a video in response to the news, the Austrialian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said there were 28 Australians on board, and while expressing his sympathy to the families of the victims, he said he expected a better response from the Russian authorities, because he considered their initial response as 'deeply unsatisfactory'.

He said he hoped for full co-operation from Russia over the enquiry.



* Map showing flight path of MH17. Photo Credit: NYT

Australia's Sidney Morning Herald pointed accusing finger on a 'prime suspect' called 'Shooter'.  In a report the paper tweeted "Prime suspect in MH17 disaster is a former Russian intelligence officer who calls himself 'Shooter' ."

Daniel Flitton of SMH said the prime suspect goes by the name Strelkov - or "shooter". He gave his real name as Igor Girkin, and said the former Russian intelligence officer had shot his own troops for insubordination in the past.

"He may have just shot down a passenger plane with 298 people on board", Flitton said.

In a related post, Russia's RT media, crediting sources from Mosco said "Ukrainian Buk battery radar was operational when Malaysian plane [was] downed."

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