Korean Air Lines Flight 007
(also known as KAL007 and KE007 was a scheduled Korean Air Lines flight from
New York City to Seoul via Anchorage. On September 1, 1983, the airliner
serving the flight was shot down by a Soviet Su-15 interceptor near Moneron
Island, west of Sakhalin Island, in the Sea of Japan. The interceptor's pilot
was Major Gennadi Osipovich. All 269 passengers and crew aboard were killed,
including Lawrence McDonald, representative from Georgia in the United States
House of Representatives. The aircraft was en route from Anchorage to Seoul
when it flew through prohibited Soviet airspace around the time of a U.S.
reconnaissance mission.
The Soviet Union initially
denied knowledge of the incident, but later admitted the shooting, claiming
that the aircraft was on a spy mission. The Politburo said it was a deliberate
provocation by the United States to test the Soviet Union's military
preparedness, or even to provoke a war. The White House accused the Soviet
Union of obstructing search and rescue operations. The Soviet military
suppressed evidence sought by the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO) investigation, notably the flight data recorders, which were eventually
released eight years later after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The incident was one of the
tensest moments of the Cold War and resulted in an escalation of anti-Soviet
sentiment, particularly in the United States. The opposing points of view on
the incident were never fully resolved. Consequently, several groups continue
to dispute official reports and offer alternative theories of the event. The
subsequent release of KAL 007 flight transcripts and flight recorders by the
Russian Federation has clarified some details.
Almost 31 years later
Malaysia Airlines flight MH-17 has been shot down in eastern part of Ukraine
about 50 odd kms short of Russian border. Black box has been missing from the
scene. There are almost no chances of this piece of equipment being exhumed as
they are designed to withstand the impact upto 3400 g and survive water, ice
and fire with little or no damage to the data.
Fingers are being pointed
at pro-Russian rebels, but downing a passenger jet is no easy task atleast for non
mainstream and unorganized group of fighters(unless they have acquired artillery
or surface to air missiles or missile wielding fighter jets). Can they still be
called rebels???
Another funny coincidence:
MH-17, shot down on 17th July at about 1700 hours… Should we say
Unlucky 17!!!
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