US President Barack Obama. - EPA
Condemning what he called an outrage of unspeakable proportions, he said this act was not the first as they had shot down a Ukrainian Transport plane, a helicopter and claimed they shot down a fighter jet.
"These separatists have long received a steady support from Russia in the form of arms and training, heavy weapons and anti-aircraft weapons," he said during a press conference Friday.
Obama stressed that this incident was a global tragedy as militants had shot down an Asian airplane, carrying people of multiple nationalities in European airspace.
"Therefore all members, including Russia, the Russian Separatists and Ukraine to cease fire immediately," he said, calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to "take the path that would result in peace in Ukraine."
"We will provide whatever aid we cab to help with the investigations and have already sent FBI assistance as well as members from the National Transportation Safety Board who have had previous experience dealing with investigations of similar nature," he said.
Obama also said that at least one US citizen was among the 298 dead, whom the State Department had identified as Quinn Lucas Schansman, who also held Dutch nationality.
The KL-bound Boeing 777, which was expected to have arrived in Malaysia at 6.10am on Friday morning lost contact with the control tower at 10.15pm local time, while it was flying in the Ukrainian airspace.
According to the Interior Minister, there were no survivors and MAS in a statement disclosed that there were 189 Dutch passengers on board, Malaysia (44), Australia (27), United Kingdom (9), Belgium (4), Germany (4), Philippines (3), Canada (1) and New Zealand (1).
As of 8.20pm on Friday, the nationalities of four passengers were yet to identified.
Source thestar
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