Ukraine warned months in advance that MH17 flight route was dangerous

Ukraine signaled to European countries and aviation organization Eurocontrol several months before the devastating crash of the MH17 flight that the flight space was not safe. This was shown in reports from a meeting of the aviation organization ECAC from May 2014 that had since now been kept secret, RTL Nieuws reported.

In the report, it was stated that Ukraine could no longer guarantee aircrafts safe passage over the Ukrainian air space, due to ongoing conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels. Eurocontrol also showed concerns about the safety of the flight route.

“The territorial integrity of the country is being compromised in many instances through Russian action,” Ukrainian officials warned.

Nonetheless, many airline companies including KLM and Malaysian Airlines continued flying over the same route. Otherwise, the important passage to Asia would have to be circumvented, raising the cost of fuel.

Some flight companies, such as Delta and British Airways bypassed the route after the annexation of the Krim. Three months before the MH17 was shot down, the aviation organization ICAO also cautioned that it was not safe to fly over Ukraine. Around the same time, the American aviation organization forbade American airline companies to fly over Ukraine.

On July 17, 2014, the passenger flight MH17 was shot down by a missile stemming from Russia, killing all 298 people on board, including nearly 200 Dutch people.