MH17 crash: Ukraine says it adhered to ICAO recommendations

Ukraine has fulfilled all safety recommendations made by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) at the time of crash of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko said on Tuesday.

“All recommendations, provided by the ICAO have been implemented by the Ukrainian side,” Zubko told a press conference on the release of the final report into the MH17 crash.

The report released by the Dutch Safety Board earlier in the day confirmed that the MH airliner was shot down by a Buk missile. It did not say who fired the missile, but pointed that airspace over eastern Ukraine should have been closed at the time of the crash.

When asked why Kiev had not banned commercial flights over the conflict-torn eastern regions, Zubko said that Ukraine was “gradually closing” its airspace up to the altitude of 9.75 km.

Air traffic restrictions had been in place over eastern Ukraine since July 1, 2014, due to the hostilities in the conflict between pro-independence militants and Ukrainian government troops, he said.

Since July 14, 2014, the minimum altitude was increased to 9.7 km and the MH17 was flying above the restricted airspace, he added.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died.

(IANS)