Malaysia Airlines MH17 Update 2014: New Information Revealed as Investigators Look to Find Answers
Following the news of the airliner crash in eastern Ukraine, the world continues to await more news about what transpired and how almost 300 people perished. News continued to trickle in as investigators arrive at the scene and nations question each other over who is culpable; however, this is what we know so far.
Malaysia Airlines has released a full statement of all 298 nationalities aboard the downed Flight MH17. It is now verified that 189 Dutch nationals were aboard; 44 Malaysians, including 15 crewmembers; 27 Australians; 12 Indonesians; nine Britons; four Belgians; four Germans; three Filipinos; one Canadian and one New Zealander.
The statement says that, as of its release on July 18, at 6:40 p.m. GMT, four passengers' nationalities had not been verified.
The statement also explains MH17's flight plan. The flight had asked for permission to fly at 35,000 feet when flying above Ukraine; however, "an aircraft's altitude in flight is determined by air traffic control on the ground," and MH17 was ordered to fly at 33,000 feet.
President Obama, in a speech on Friday, informed the United States that one American had perished aboard Flight MH17, according to The Associated Press. The victim has been identified as Quinn Lucas Schansman.
In his statement, given at the White House Press Room, the President said that the causes were still being investigated but laid the blame at Russia's feet "for providing support to separatists that he suggested enabled them to shoot down the plane."
As investigations continue, it has also been found that among the victims there could potentially be around 100 AIDS researchers, according to The Guardian. The scientists were on heading to an AIDS conference in Australia, and the loss of these pioneers has been called a "devastating" setback.
"There's a huge feeling of sadness here, people are in floods of tears in the corridors," veteran HIV researcher, Clive Aspin, told Guardian Australia. "These people were the best and the brightest, the ones who had dedicated their whole careers to fighting this terrible virus. It's devastating."
Among those killed is Dr. Joep Lange, an important AIDS researcher who has been investigating the virus since 1983, according to The New York Times. Also among the dead is Glenn Thomas, a communications officer for the World Health Organization
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