July 18, 2014

Malaysia Reeling: Second Air Disaster in Four

Months
by Steve Herman
Malaysia is reeling from the second air disaster in four months involving the countrys flag carrier. Flight 340
vanished in March and despite an extensive search, no debris has been found. And on Thursday, Flight 17, likely hit
by a surface-to-air missile, came apart over eastern Ukraine. The two incidents together have left more than 500
people dead.
It is a scene eerily reminiscent of just a few months ago. Anguished relatives of passengers at Kuala Lumpurs
international airport.
Malaysias flag carrier under global scrutiny -- and questions raised about its chances of survival in the wake of
tragedy.
Malaysian government officials are back in the same cramped hotel conference room, struggling to answer tough
questions from correspondents who have flown in from around the world.
The transport minister was asked if Malaysia Airlines, taking a shorter route over eastern Ukraine where military
aircraft had recently been shot down by pro-Russian insurgents, put fuel cost savings ahead of safety.
Malaysia Transportation Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, Thats not true. And as mentioned just now, other
airlines are taking the same route.

As search teams continued recovering bodies scattered across Ukrainian farmland, Russias degree of responsibility
in the destruction of a large airliner is being scrutinized.
Australias prime minister, Tony Abbott, is among the leaders most blunt in demanding an explanation from Moscow.
The initial response of the Russian Ambassador was to blame Ukraine for this, and I have to say that is deeply,
deeply unsatisfactory, said Abbott.
Malaysia Flight 17, after a stop here, was to continue to Australia. And more than 100 aboard were headed there to
attend an international AIDS Conference. The loss to the medical research community is incalculable. As one
grieving colleague put it: What if the cure for AIDS was on that plane?



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