OFFICIAL UNITED STATES STATEMENTS REGARDING MALAYSIA AIRLINE FLIGHT MH17

Below are some of the more important Statements released by US OFFICIALS and DEPARTMENTS on July 17, 2014 after the tragic crash of Malaysia Airline Flight MH17 which is under investigation at this time.  ALSO INCLUDED, is a Press Release from the NTSB dated July 2, 2014, regarding TWA FLIGHT 800, which exploded on this same date in history, JULY 17, 1996, 18 years ago to the day:

President Obama / White House:

Readout of the President’s Call with Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia

President Obama called Malaysian Prime Minister Najib today to express condolences to the people of Malaysia for the terrible loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine, as well as all the families who lost loved ones in this tragic event. The President told the Prime Minister that United States has offered immediate assistance to support a prompt international investigation. President Obama reaffirmed the strength of the friendship between the United States and Malaysia and underscored that the United States stands ready to provide any assistance or support necessary.

Readout of the President’s Call with President Poroshenko of Ukraine

President Obama spoke with Ukrainian President Poroshenko this afternoon to discuss the tragic crash of flight Malaysian Airlines 17. President Poroshenko welcomed the assistance of international investigators to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation of the crash site. President Obama assured him that U.S. experts will offer all possible assistance immediately. The Presidents emphasized that all evidence from the crash site must remain in place on the territory of Ukraine until international investigators are able to examine all aspects of the tragedy.

Readout of the President’s Call with President Putin of Russia

President Obama spoke with Russian President Putin today about the situation in Ukraine and the additional sanctions on Russian individuals and entities that the United States announced on July 16.  President Obama emphasized that he remains committed to a diplomatic solution and that sanctions were not his preferred course of action.  President Obama noted, however, that in the face of extensive evidence that Russia is significantly increasing the provision of heavy weapons to separatists in Ukraine and Russia’s failure to take other steps set out by the United States and Europe to de-escalate the crisis, it was necessary to impose additional sanctions, consistent with the clear statements from the United States and our allies following the G-7 meeting in Brussels.  President Obama also reiterated his concerns regarding the buildup of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border.  President Obama called on President Putin to take concrete steps to de-escalate the situation, including to press separatists to agree to a cease-fire, support a roadmap for negotiations, halt the flow of fighters and weapons into Ukraine, obtain the release of all hostages still held by the separatists, and work to establish an effective OSCE border-monitoring mechanism.  He noted that Russia would face continued costs and isolation unless it takes these concrete steps.  The President emphasized that Russia and the United States have a shared interest in supporting a stable and prosperous Ukraine.  President Obama and President Putin agreed on the need for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis achieved through diplomatic means.  During the call, President Putin noted the early reports of a downed passenger jet near the Russia-Ukraine border.

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STATE DEPARTMENT 

Excerpt from State Department Press Briefing 7/17/14:

Initial Statement by Chief Spokesperson Jen Psaki:

"....And finally, all of you have seen and many of you have asked me about what we know about the reports of the Malaysian plane crash. We have seen the same reports you have. At this point, we do not have any confirmed information about casualties, the cause, or additional details. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those onboard, their families, and loved ones. We’re closely monitoring the situation. The Secretary is, of course, aware of these reports, and we’re seeking additional information. Our Embassy in Kyiv is also in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities on this incident. But at this point, those are all the details that we have.

QUESTION: Jen, so you have seen these reports apparently coming from the manifest that there were 23 U.S. citizens onboard. Even if you don’t know if that’s actually correct, can you say whether you have that information from the manifest that apparently there were 23 U.S. passengers aboard?

MS. PSAKI: We’ve seen the public reports. I spoke to our team right before I came out here. We don’t have any additional details at this point on American citizens. We’re looking to, of course, obtain that information. As soon as we have it available, we’ll make it available to all of you.

QUESTION: And has the Secretary – we know that the President was – spoke to President Putin this morning about – not this, but the plane came up. Has the Secretary made any calls to anyone in Russia, anyone inUkraine that you’re aware of?

MS. PSAKI: Not at this point. Obviously, this just happened a couple of hours ago. We can keep you updated as well on any additional calls that he makes this afternoon.

QUESTION: Does he plan to?

MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any planned calls to predict for you, but if any calls happen, we can make sure those are available to all of you.

QUESTION: So the Ukrainians’ foreign ministry is saying that they have reason to believe this – not just a guess, but based on their assessment – that this was a Russian-made Buk missile that is in the hands of the Russian separatists. You also have kind of chatter on Twitter about some of the separatists saying that they did shoot down a plane. Has your team on the ground spoken to the Ukrainians? Have they told you that this is your assessment – that this is their assessment and you just want to get your own confirmation? I mean, where are you at this point?

MS. PSAKI: As I mentioned, we’re in touch with Ukrainian authorities on this incident.

QUESTION: So they’ve obviously shared this assessment with you?

MS. PSAKI: I’m not – I don’t have further readouts, but I think it’s a safe assumption that we’re discussing reports and, obviously, a range of comments that have been out there. We don’t have our own confirmation of details. I can’t predict for you if and when we will. But obviously, events are very fluid on the ground. We don’t have any more information from here to share.

QUESTION: Because given the fact that it is very fluid and it’s very early, I mean, there is already a kind of – some common wisdom that says, like, the separatists have done it. But just to confirm that, is this your belief and you don’t have confirmation of that?

MS. PSAKI: It’s --

QUESTION: I mean, do you have suspicions of that at this point?

MS. PSAKI: I’m not going to speculate on this, Elise, for obvious reasons. We don’t have any additional details to share other than the reports you’ve seen about the plane crash. In terms of the causes, the individuals onboard, I have nothing else here from the U.S. Government.

QUESTION: There were some Ukrainian transport planes that were shot down, I think, in the last week, maybe in the same area. I mean, is that something that you’re looking at in terms of that this could be a similar mistaken --

MS. PSAKI: I’m just not going to speculate further for obvious reasons.

QUESTION: Quite aside from the actual – what actually happened, whoever or whatever was responsible for it, is it correct that this type of missile that Elise just mentioned, the Buk missile, was among the --

QUESTION: I could have said that wrong.

QUESTION: Sorry?

QUESTION: I could have said that wrong, but I think it --

QUESTION: Well, however you pronounce it, this kind of missile was among the weaponry that you have said over the past – the course of the past couple – month or so that have been transiting from Russia, from these military facilities, sites in southeast – in western Russia, sorry – in western Russia to the separatists in Ukraine?

MS. PSAKI: I’m happy to check that, Matt, but I’d also note that we don’t have confirmation that that is the cause --

QUESTION: I know. I’m not suggesting --

MS. PSAKI: -- or the source of the plane being down.

QUESTION: I understand that. But are these missiles that the Ukrainians say were responsible for this plane, are those the types of missiles, quite apart from this incident, that you were complaining had – that the Russians had been sending into Ukraine?

MS. PSAKI: I’m happy to check with our team on that information separately from this particular incident.

QUESTION: I mean, one of the things yesterday when you imposed these new sanctions on the Russians, I mean, isn’t it true that one of your concerns is that the Russians have been doubling down on their – increasing, actually, their supply of weapons to the separatists?

MS. PSAKI: We have stated that publicly and still have a concern about that. But I think there’s a difference between making unfounded or unconfirmed accusations from the podium --

QUESTION: I understand. But without talking about the specific Buk missile or something, has it been a concern that the Russians have been supplying them with truck-mounted or shoulder-fired missiles?

MS. PSAKI: We have expressed concern about it in the past, Elise. That hasn’t changed.

QUESTION: Particularly of those type of missiles?

MS. PSAKI: I would point you to past comments we’ve made about them.

QUESTION: The Administration has made very clear that it blames the Russians for escalating the conflict in this area and that they’ve added to the tensions there. So whoever is to blame, ultimately, for this downing of the airliner, is there some source of responsibility that must be borne by Moscow for the situation as it now exists in the area?

MS. PSAKI: Well, I think broadly speaking, Matt, the fact that we announced yesterday a new round of sanctions, including several defense companies, several energy companies, speaks to our level of concern about the escalatory actions that we continue to see from Russia. However, we don’t have enough information with this specific incident, and that’s why I’m not going to be able to provide you any confirmation of details and I don’t want to speculate on who’s to blame or the root causes when we don’t have that information at this point.

QUESTION: When I speak of the climate, the climate of conflict that’s escalated there and obviously led to this tragedy.

MS. PSAKI: Well, again, we don’t know that at this point in time because we don’t know what the causes are or who is responsible for the plane going down.

QUESTION: And what, if any, assistance would the Administration provide for any investigation of this incident?

MS. PSAKI: It’s too early to say. And we have traditionally or historically provided a range of assistance. You’re familiar with the assistance we provided when the Malaysian plane disappeared. But we can keep you all up to date on whether there’s a request made and a request granted from our end.

QUESTION: Given the fact that it did – this plane did fall down in separatist territory, clearly those separatists are not equipped, capable to launch – I see that they’ve called – they’ve said that they’ll try and help with an investigation. But given the fact that they clearly don’t have any type of capability to launch any type of investigation – I think they might have control over the black boxes – I mean, how do you see the Ukrainians and how can you help navigate ensuring that there is an investigation?

MS. PSAKI: Well, we’re in close touch with Ukrainian authorities, and if there are requests made, we will keep you all abreast of whether we are providing assistance and what kind of assistance we’re providing.

QUESTION: Can you confirm that any Americans were onboard?

MS. PSAKI: I can’t at this point in time. And again, this just happened so recently, Lucas, but we are happy to provide all of you with that information as soon as we have any details to confirm. And obviously, we’re seeking that information as we speak."

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FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

Press Release – FAA Statement on Malaysian Air Flight 17

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For Immediate Release

July 17, 2014
Contact: Kristie M. Greco
Phone: (202) 267-3883

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The FAA was in contact with US carriers following the crash of Malaysian Air Flight 17. The agency confirms that carriers have voluntarily agreed not to operate in the airspace near the Russian-Ukraine border. The FAA is monitoring the situation to determine whether further guidance is necessary.

Background
On April 3, the FAA issued a Notice to Airman (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S. flight operations until further notice in the airspace over the Crimean region of Ukraine, and portions adjacent to the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The NOTAM does not currently cover the airspace where Malaysian Air flight 17 crashed.

This action was taken due to the unilateral and illegal action by Russia to assert control over Crimean airspace, including international airspace administered by Ukraine without agreement by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

This creates the potential for conflicting air traffic control instructions from Ukrainian and Russian authorities and for the related potential misidentification of civil aircraft in this airspace. This prompted the FAA NOTAM for U.S. flights.

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TWA FLIGHT 800:   NTSB PRESS RELEASE

NOTE:  THE DATE OF THE TWA FLIGHT 800 ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON JULY 17, 1996.... 18 YEARS AGO TO THE DAY, OF MALAYSIA AIRLINE FLIGHT MH17 INCIDENT....

NTSB Press Release

National Transportation Safety Board
Office of Public Affairs

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NTSB Denies Petition on 1996 Crash of TWA Flight 800

July 2

The National Transportation Safety Board today denied a petition for reconsideration of its findings in the investigation of the 1996 crash of TWA flight 800.

The petition was filed in June 2013 by a group called The TWA 800 Project. Petitioners claimed a "detonation or high-velocity explosion" caused the crash.

"Our investigations are never 'closed'," said Acting Chairman Christopher A. Hart. "We always remain open to the presentation of new evidence." Before responding to the petition, NTSB staff met with the petitioners' representatives and listened to an eyewitness who described what he saw on the night of the accident. After a thorough review of all the information provided by the petitioners, the NTSB denied the petition in its entirety because the evidence and analysis presented did not show the original findings were incorrect.

To consider the petition, the NTSB assembled a team of investigators not previously involved with the original investigation. For more on the NTSB's response, please see twa800.sites.usa.gov.

Office of Public Affairs

490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW

Washington, DC 20594

Kelly Nantel

(202) 314-6100

kelly.nantel@ntsb.gov

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NTSB Stands By Investigation of 1996 Crash of TWA Flight 800

On July 17, 1996, TWA flight 800 exploded while climbing to its cruise altitude shortly after departure from New York’s JFK International Airport. It crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, taking the lives of the 230 passengers and crew on board.

In August 2000, the NTSB completed its exhaustive 4-year investigation into the accident. This remains one of the largest transportation accident investigations in US history.

In the aftermath of the crash, terrorism was widely suspected. The NTSB conducted its accident investigation, while at the same time, the FBI conducted a criminal investigation. Neither investigation found evidence of a crime, and the FBI ended the criminal probe in 1997.

The NTSB’s accident investigation continued. The NTSB carefully considered all of the evidence, including both the physical evidence and the witness summary documents provided by the FBI.

In our final analysis (Aviation Accident Report AAR0003), the NTSB determined that an explosion of the center wing fuel tank was the probable cause of the accident. The explosion resulted from ignition of the flammable fuel/air mixture in the tank.