A Malaysia Airlines passenger plane carrying 295 people was shot down over eastern Ukraine on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said, and both the government and the pro-Russia separatists fighting in the region denied any responsibility for downing the aircraft.
Obama said Friday the evidence so far indicates Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile from an area controlled by Russian-backed separatists.
Follow all the developments into the crash of Malaysian Flight MH17, below.
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• Live updates from social media
• Photos
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• Obama: Plane shot down by missile, 1 American dead
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• Ukraine: 298 on Malaysian plane shot down over east
• McCain on plane crash: ‘There’s going to be hell to pay’
UPDATES:
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Malaysian Airlines tweeted Thursday morning it had lost contact with Flight MH17 over Ukrainian airspace.
Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow.
— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) July 17, 2014
Boeing then confirmed it is gathering information about the flight on Twitter.
We are aware of reports on MH17. We're gathering more information.
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) July 17, 2014
Our thoughts and prayers are with those on board MH17, as well as their families and loved ones. We stand ready to provide assistance.
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) July 17, 2014
The White House also expressed its condolences.
"We offer our deep condolences to all those who lost loved ones on board." —@PressSec on #MH17: pic.twitter.com/LN4gNIXfZh
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) July 18, 2014
And Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Razak tweeted he was launching an investigation.
I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation.
— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) July 17, 2014
VIDEO:
PHOTOS:
Images taken at the scene of the crash of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 near Donetsk, Ukraine. Getty and AP images
People gather during a candle-light vigil for the victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur on July 18, 2014. | Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images
A woman crosses herself as people lay flowers and light candles in front of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Kiev on July 18, 2014, to remember the passengers of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 carrying 295 people from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur which crashed in eastern Ukraine. | Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images
