Alexandria, VA – In response to the downed MH 17 flight over the Ukraine, Flight Safety Foundation CEO and President Jon Beatty said:
"It is too early to know for certain what happened in this tragedy, but the early official reports here are most disturbing. Any shoot down of a civilian aircraft operating in fully legal airspace, without any warning or justification, whether mistaken or not, represents a flagrant violation of international law and an irresponsible attack on the safety of international civil aviation. The use of armed force against international civil aviation is incompatible with well-established international standards and elementary considerations of humanity. We are calling for an immediate, independent, international, and thorough investigation into this tragedy, and express our condolences to the victims’ loved ones."
Contact: Emily McGee, +1 703 739 6700, ext. 126; mcgee@flightsafety.org