AI 113 could have been hit by missile

Kiev (Ukraine): An Air India flight AI 113 and Singapore Airline SQ359 were dangerously close to the Malaysian plane MH17 when it was shot down over Ukrainian air space. The Singapore Boeing 777 jet and Air India Boeing 787 jet were a mere 25 kilometres away from the doomed aircraft.

A 24-hour global flight tracking service called Flightradar24 reported the information. Air India official said the airline would abide by international advisory “to avoid airspace over conflict zones like Ukraine”. Aviation sources said airlines have to take a call on their routing to American and European destinations.

All 295 people on board a Malaysia Airlines plane were killed on Thursday after the aircraft was shot down over war-torn eastern Ukraine near the Russian border. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur carrying 280 passengers and 15 crews and could have been brought down by a ground-to-air missile.