Original subtitles

Controller: DO YOU READ ME, METROJET 9268?

Narrator: CHARRED WRECKAGE IN THE SINAI DESERT

IS ALL THAT'S LEFT OF A RUSSIAN AIRPLANE.

Man: THAT GETS EVERYONE'S EARS PERKED UP.

AIRBUS AIRCRAFT JUST SIMPLY DO NOT FALL OUT OF THE SKY.

Pilot: TOKYO CENTER, KOREAN AIR 007.

Narrator: A 747 PLUNGES TOWARDS THE SEA OF JAPAN.

Man: THE STORY BEGAN CIRCULATING IN WASHINGTON

THAT THE SOVIETS HAD BEEN INVOLVED.

Narrator: AND A COMMERCIAL AIRLINER

CRASHES OVER EASTERN UKRAINE.

Man: THIS IS NOT PART OF THE PLANE.

Man: THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION

THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN.

Man: BLAST DEPOSITS.

Man: BUT YOU WANT FACTS.

Narrator: RUMORS SURFACE QUICKLY

ABOUT WHAT CAUSED ALL THREE DEADLY DISASTERS.

Man: THE EVIDENCE OF A BOMBING OR A MISSILE ATTACK

SHOWS ITSELF EARLIER IN AN INVESTIGATION

THAN IT WOULD OTHERWISE.

President Obama: THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN

BY A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE.

Narrator: BUT CAN INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER THE EVIDENCE THEY NEED

TO SOLVE THE MYSTERIES BEHIND THESE EXPLOSIVE TRAGEDIES?

Flight attendant: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

WE ARE STARTING OUR APPROACH.

Pilot: WE LOST BOTH ENGINES!

Flight attendant: PUT THE MASK OVER YOUR NOSE.

EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Pilot: MAYDAY, MAYDAY!

Flight attendant: BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Controller: I THINK I LOST ONE.

Man: INVESTIGATION STARTING INTO THIS TRAGEDY...

Man: HE'S GONNA CRASH!

♪

Narrator: IT'S JUST BEFORE 6 A.M.

AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH AIRPORT IN EGYPT.

217 PASSENGERS ARE HEADED HOME TO SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA,

AFTER A HOLIDAY GETAWAY.

THEY'RE FLYING ON METROJET FLIGHT 9268.

Flight attendant: THAT'LL NEVER FIT.

LET ME STORE IT AT THE BACK.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN IS VALERY NEMOV,

AN EXPERIENCED AVIATOR WITH 12,000 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME.

First officer: EXTERIOR CHECK COMPLETE.

Valery Nemov: EVERYTHING IN ORDER OUT THERE?

First officer: ALL GOOD, CAPTAIN.

Narrator: THE AIRCRAFT IS AN AIRBUS A321,

A LONGER VERSION OF THE AIRBUS A320.

THE FLIGHT PATH IS NORTHEAST FROM SHARM EL-SHEIKH

ALONG THE GULF OF AQABA.

IT THEN HEADS NORTH OVER CYPRUS,

TURKEY, UKRAINE,

AND FINALLY INTO RUSSIAN AIRSPACE,

ENDING IN SAINT PETERSBURG.

TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IS EXPECTED TO BE 4 HOURS AND 40 MINUTES.

First officer: V-1.

Nemov: V-1.

First officer: ROTATE.

Narrator: AT 5:51 A.M.,

METROJET FLIGHT 9268 LIFTS INTO THE AIR.

David Learmount: THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF IN A STANDARD WAY.

NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TAKEOFF.

NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CLIMB.

Controller: METROJET 9268,

PREPARE TO CONTACT NICOSIA CONTROL,

LOCAL FREQUENCY.

Nemov: AFFIRMATIVE, SHARM EL-SHEIKH.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE'VE LEFT EGYPT AIRSPACE.

Narrator: AT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

ALL IS GOING SMOOTHLY...

UNTIL 6:13 A.M.,

WHEN FLIGHT 9268 DOES SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.

Learmount: IT HAD GONE THROUGH 30,000 FEET,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE RADAR RETURN CHANGED.

Narrator: THE PLANE SEEMS TO BE DROPPING.

Controller: METROJET 9268,

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING ANY DIFFICULTIES?

Oliver McGee: THEN ALL OF SUDDEN,

EVERYTHING JUST DROPPED OFF,

JUST DROPPED AND DISAPPEARED.

Controller: DO YOU READ ME, METROJET 9268?

Learmount: THAT'S WHEN

THE ADRENALINE STARTS KICKING IN.

Controller: DO YOU READ ME?

[GRUNTING]

[SCREAMING]

Narrator: METROJET 9268

HAS CRASHED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT.

ALL 224 PASSENGERS AND CREW HAVE PERISHED.

IT'S THE DEADLIEST AIR ACCIDENT

IN THE HISTORY OF RUSSIAN AVIATION.

McGee: AIRBUS AIRCRAFT

JUST SIMPLY DO NOT FALL OUT OF THE SKY.

SO THAT GETS EVERYONE'S EARS PERKED UP

ON WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

Narrator: AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS

GATHERS NEAR THE CRASH ZONE.

EGYPTIAN INVESTIGATORS

WILL WORK ALONGSIDE THEIR RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS

TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

Investigator: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

Investigator: YEAH, YOU, TOO.

Investigator: SO WHAT DO WE GOT?

Narrator: FOR BOTH NATIONS, THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

Learmount: THE RUSSIANS LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE

ON BOARD THAT AIRCRAFT,

AND THEY DON'T WANT THE SAFETY OF RUSSIAN AVIATION

TO BE IMPUGNED.

EGYPT DO NOT WISH

THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AS AN AVIATING NATION

TO BE IMPUGNED AS WELL.

Investigator: THIS IS WHAT WE'RE FINDING.

THE TAIL SECTION IS HERE.

WINGS AND FORWARD FUSELAGE ARE HERE.

Narrator: THE TEAM STARTS BY MAPPING THE CRASH SITE.

THE LENGTHY WRECKAGE TRAIL

PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT FIRST CLUE.

Investigator: MIDAIR BREAKUP.

WELL OVER 20,000 FEET, I'D SAY.

Narrator: THE SIZE OF THE DEBRIS FIELD

TELLS INVESTIGATORS

THAT THE PLANE BROKE APART

HIGH IN THE AIR.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY WRECKAGE COULD BE SPREAD

OVER SUCH A LARGE AREA.

THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINES ARE CHARRED BY FIRE.

THE DAMAGE LEADS INVESTIGATORS TO WONDER

IF AN EXPLOSION ROCKED THE PLANE HIGH UP IN THE SKY.

AND THERE'S REASON TO BELIEVE

FLIGHT 9268 WAS A TARGET OF TERRORISM.

Investigator: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

THIS TERRORIST GROUP IS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK.

Narrator: A TERRORIST GROUP

AFFILIATED WITH THE ISLAMIC STATE

CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR BRINGING DOWN METROJET 9268.

THOUGH THERE IS NO PROOF TO BACK UP THE CLAIM,

THERE'S SPECULATION

THAT ATTACKERS USED A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE.

Mokhtar Awad: THAT GROUP HAS USED

A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE BEFORE.

THEY'VE ALSO POSTED PHOTOGRAPHS

OF DIFFERENT SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR ARSENAL.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW

IF THOSE WEAPONS ARE POWERFUL ENOUGH

TO HIT AN AIRLINER AT CRUISING ALTITUDE.

Investigator: THESE ARE THE MISSILES THEY'RE USING.

THE PLANE WAS FLYING AT 31,000 FEET.

WHAT'S THE RANGE ON THOSE MISSILES?

Investigator: I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE SPECS.

CHECK IT OUT.

Narrator: THEY STUDY MILITARY DOCUMENTS.

THEY SOON HAVE THEIR ANSWER.

Investigator: IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

NOT WITH THE WEAPONS THEY HAVE.

Awad: IT WAS TOO HIGH OF AN ALTITUDE

TO BE A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE,

AND THE INITIAL TALK OF THE POSSIBILITY

OF THE ISLAMIC STATE BEING BEHIND IT

WAS DISMISSED.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL NOT CERTAIN

THE AIRLINER WAS TAKEN DOWN BY A DETONATING DEVICE.

Investigator: READY?

Investigator: LET'S PLAY IT.

Narrator: THEY LOOK TO THE FLIGHT'S

COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

IN HOPES IT MIGHT PROVIDE CLUES.

Investigator: PLAY THE VERY END AGAIN,

BUT THIS TIME CAN WE TRY TO TAKE OUT SOME BACKGROUND NOISE?

First officer: I HAVE TO LOOK OVER MY SCHEDULE

FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

[CLICK]

Investigator: WHAT'S THAT SOUND?

CAN YOU ISOLATE IT ANY MORE?

Narrator: A STRANGE NOISE ON THE RECORDING

CATCHES THE ATTENTION OF INVESTIGATORS.

First officer: I HAVE TO LOOK OVER MY SCHEDULE

FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

[CLICK]

Investigator: THERE'S DEFINITELY A SOUND THERE.

IT'S LIKE A... Investigator: LIKE A BANG.

Investigator: IT SOUNDS LIKE A BEGINNING OF AN EXPLOSION.

Stephen Moss: THERE IS AN EVENT, AND THEN IT STOPS WORKING.

WELL, THAT IN ITS OWN ON ITSELF

IS TELLING YOU SOMETHING.

THAT IS SAYING THAT THERE HAS BEEN

A VERY SUDDEN AND VIOLENT EVENT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FIND COMPELLING EVIDENCE

ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

SUGGESTING AN ONBOARD BLAST OCCURRED.

Investigator: IF WE CAN FIND OUT WHERE THAT SOUND CAME FROM,

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION.

Narrator: THE TEAM NEEDS TO LEARN EVERYTHING IT CAN

FROM THIS CRUCIAL EVIDENCE.

McGee: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDERS,

THEY'RE LEAVING SOME TYPE OF UNKNOWN NOISE

THAT REQUIRES A FREQUENCY SPECTRAL ANALYSIS.

Narrator: AN EXPLOSION PRODUCES TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAVES.

A SHOCK WAVE VIBRATES THROUGH THE FUSELAGE

AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 16,000 FEET PER SECOND.

A MUCH SLOWER SOUND WAVE TRAVELS THROUGH THE AIR

AT 1,100 FEET PER SECOND.

BOTH OF THESE WAVES ARE CAPTURED

BY THE SENSITIVE COCKPIT MICROPHONES.

Investigator: CAN WE SEE THE CLOSE-UP

OF THE CAPTAIN'S MICROPHONE, PLEASE?

Narrator: COMPARING THE TIMING OF THE TWO DIFFERENT WAVES

COULD HELP INVESTIGATORS

PINPOINT THE ORIGIN OF THE BLAST.

THE SMALL GAP IN TIME BETWEEN THE TWO WAVES

IS A HUGE CLUE FOR INVESTIGATORS.

Investigator: THAT'S THE SOUND WAVE,

AND THAT'S THE SHOCK WAVE.

SO THE SOUND WAVE HIT THE MICROPHONE

JUST OVER 100th OF A SECOND AFTER THE SHOCK WAVE.

Narrator: THEY ALREADY KNOW THE SPEED OF EACH WAVE.

NOW, WITH THE TIME GAP,

THEY CAN CALCULATE EXACTLY HOW FAR THEY TRAVELED.

Investigator: I THINK IT STARTED AT THE REAR OF THE PLANE.

RIGHT HERE. AT THE VERY LEFT.

Narrator: CLEVER DETECTIVE WORK REVEALS THAT A BLAST ORIGINATED

IN THE REAR OF THE PLANE.

NOW INVESTIGATORS WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT.

Investigator: LOOK AT THIS!

Narrator: THEY HOPE WRECKAGE FROM THE REAR OF THE PLANE

AN PROVIDE A CLUE.

Investigator: I THINK I SAW ANOTHER ONE JUST LIKE THAT.

Narrator: WHILE THEY RE-EXAMINE THE WRECKAGE OF METROJET 9268...

Investigator: GUYS, CLEAR A SPACE HERE.

GIVE ME A HAND. GIVE ME A HAND WITH THIS.

Narrator: ...INVESTIGATORS FIND SOME CRITICAL EVIDENCE.

Investigator: RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

Narrator: SEVERAL PIECES OF FUSELAGE

ARE PEPPERED WITH SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING HOLES.

Moss: THE OBVIOUS ANALOGY IS WITH A JIGSAW PUZZLE.

YOU HAVE ALL THE PIECES, BUT THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE

UNTIL YOU START PUTTING THEM BACK TOGETHER AGAIN

TO FORM A PICTURE.

Narrator: THE FINDING

BACKS UP THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER ANALYSIS.

Investigator: IT LOOKS LIKE WE FOUND OUR EXPLOSION.

Narrator: THEY NOW HAVE EVEN MORE COMPELLING EVIDENCE

OF AN EXPLOSION IN THE LEFT REAR OF THE PLANE.

STILL SEARCHING FOR THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION,

THEY ORDER A CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

OF DEBRIS FROM NEAR THE BLAST AREA.

Tom Thurman: WHAT THE LABORATORY FORENSIC CHEMIST WOULD DO

IS TO EXTRACT THAT RESIDUE

AND RUN IT THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTATION

THAT WOULD TELL YOU WHETHER YOU HAVE PRESENCE

OF UNDETONATED EXPLOSIVES.

Narrator: THE LAB RESULTS ARE CONCLUSIVE.

THERE IS BOMB RESIDUE ON THE WRECKAGE.

FLIGHT 9268 WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE SKY

BY AN ONBOARD EXPLOSIVE DEVICE.

THE DISCOVERY EXPLAINS WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.

Investigator: HAVE A LOOK AT THIS.

Narrator: BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN.

WHO DID IT?

AND HOW DID THE BOMB GET ON THE PLANE?

AN ISIS ONLINE MAGAZINE PROVIDES A CLUE.

Investigator: THEY SAY THEY PACKED THE EXPLOSIVES

IN A SODA CAN.

Narrator: IT CLAIMS THEY CAN TURN SODA CANS INTO BOMBS.

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS,

INVESTIGATORS RECONSTRUCT THE BLAST AREA.

THEY WANT TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHERE ON BOARD

THE BOMB WAS HIDDEN.

Investigator: IT'S THE OVERSIZED LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT IN THE HOLD.

Investigator: GROUND CREW, PERHAPS.

Narrator: COULD A WORKER HAVE SMUGGLED A BOMB

ON BOARD FLIGHT 9268?

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WORK AS GROUND CREW

AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH AIRPORT.

Investigator: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

Narrator: SPECIAL SECURITY CLEARANCE

GIVES MOST OF THEM FAR GREATER ACCESS TO AIRCRAFT

THAN ANY PASSENGER.

INVESTIGATORS FOCUS ON THE PERSONNEL WHO WERE WORKING

ON THE MORNING OF THE BOMBING.

Investigator: I THINK WE MAY HAVE FOUND OUR MAN.

Awad: ACCORDING TO AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT,

THE ISLAMIC STATE FOUND THAT ONE OF ITS MEMBERS

HAD A RELATIVE WORKINGIN THE SHARM EL-SHEIKH AIRPORT.

WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT,

THE ISLAMIC STATE WAS ABLE TO LEVERAGE THIS RELATIONSHIP

AND COMPEL THIS RELATIVE, WHO WAS A BAGGAGE HANDLER,

TO PUT THE BOMB IN THE PLANE.

Narrator: THERE IS NOW AMPLE EVIDENCE

TO SUPPORT A COMPELLING THEORY

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO METROJET FLIGHT 9268.

Controller: METROJET 9268,

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, RUNWAY ZERO-FOUR-RIGHT.

Narrator: AS THE RUSSIAN CREW PREPARES TO HEAD HOME,

THEY HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT BELOW THEM IN THE CARGO HOLD

IS A BOMB SET TO GO OFF AT CRUISING ALTITUDE.

[BEEPING]

[EXPLOSION]

[GRUNTING]

Controller: DO YOU READ ME, METROJET 9268?

Thurman: THE PLANE DECOMPRESSES FROM THE PRESSURIZATION.

THAT IS THE PART THAT LITERALLY RIPS THE PLANE APART.

THERE'S NO WAY TO SURVIVE.

Narrator: AFTER THE METROJET DISASTER,

AIR SAFETY AUTHORITIES CALL

FOR TIGHTER SECURITY SCREENING FOR AIRPORT STAFF

TO REDUCE THE ODDS

OF SUCH A CATASTROPHE EVER HAPPENING AGAIN.

Learmount: THE METROJET EVENT WAS GAME-CHANGING

FOR HOW SERIOUSLY WE HAVE TO TAKE SECURITY.

IS THERE A SCREENING PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF,

OVER A PERIOD OF TIME OF EMPLOYMENT,

ARE NOT SUBVERTED?

THEY SHOULD BE THROWING GREATER SECURITY RESOURCES

IN HUMAN TERMS AND EQUIPMENT TERMS.

Narrator: WHEN AIR CRASH INVESTIGATORS

SUSPECT THAT A FLIGHT HAS BEEN TARGETED,

IT CHANGES THE ENTIRE NATURE OF THE CASE.

A CRASH SITE BECOMES A CRIME SCENE.

Phil Derner: ANYTIME THAT THERE'S SOMETHING

THAT'S TERROR-RELATED,

IT'S NOT JUST SEEKING TO FIND A CAUSE,

BUT YOU'VE ALSO GOT TO FIND OUT WHO DID IT.

AND THE INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO SUPPORT

THEIR THEORIES AND CAUSES WITH EVIDENCE.

IT'S GOT TO BE AS BLACK AND WHITE AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator: BUT WHAT IF THE EVIDENCE ISN'T CLEAR-CUT?

First officer: KOREAN AIR 007, POSITIONED OVER NIPPI.

ESTIMATING NOCA 1826132.0.

Narrator: AFTER A BRIEF LAYOVER IN ANCHORAGE,

A KOREAN AIRLINES BOEING 747

CRUISES HIGH OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC.

CAPTAIN CHUN BYUNG IN

HAS NEARLY 11 YEARS' EXPERIENCE FLYING FOR KOREAN AIRLINES.

BEFORE THAT, HE SERVED TEN YEARS IN THE KOREAN AIR FORCE.

Chun: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

WE'LL SOON BE SERVING BREAKFAST BEFORE WE LAND IN KIMPO,

WHICH WILL BE IN ABOUT THREE HOURS.

Narrator: MANY OF THE PASSENGERS PLAN TO TAKE CONNECTING FLIGHTS

TO OTHER DESTINATIONS AFTER LANDING IN SEOUL.

[CHIME]

First officer: TOKYO CENTER, KOREAN AIR 007.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, TOKYO.

First officer: KOREAN AIR 007, REQUEST CLIMB THREE-FIVE-ZERO.

Controller: ROGER. STAND BY.

Narrator: WITH REPORTS OF STRONG WINDS ALONG THEIR ROUTE,

THE PILOTS DECIDE TO TAKE THE PLANE

TO A HIGHER CRUISING ALTITUDE

IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE FUEL.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 007,

CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FLIGHT LEVEL THREE-FIVE-ZERO.

First officer: ROGER, KOREAN AIR 007,

CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FLIGHT LEVEL THREE-FIVE-ZERO.

Narrator: THEN, WITHOUT WARNING...

[EXPLOSION]

First officer: WHAT HAPPENED?

Chun: RETURN THROTTLES.

RAPID DECOMPRESSION.

First officer: TOKYO CENTER, KOREAN AIR 007.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, TOKYO.

First officer: UH, WE ARE EXPERIENCING

RAPID DECOMPRESSION.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, UNREADABLE, UNREADABLE.

Flight attendant: EMERGENCY DESCENT.

PUT THE MASK OVER YOUR NOSE AND ADJUST THE HEADBAND.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, TOKYO.

[SCREAMING]

Narrator: KOREAN AIRLINES 007 IS PLUNGING TOWARD THE SEA.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 007,

RADIO CHECK ON 10048.

Narrator: KOREAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 007

AND ALL 269 PEOPLE ON BOARD

HAVE VANISHED.

Controller: KOREAN AIR 015,

WOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO CONTACT KOREAN AIR 007, PLEASE,

AND RELAY POSITION?

James Oberg: WITHIN HOURS,

THE STORY BEGAN CIRCULATING IN WASHINGTON

THAT THE SOVIETS HAD BEEN INVOLVED.

Narrator: AS THE WORLD WAITS FOR NEWS ABOUT THE INCIDENT,

THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT MAKES A STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT.

THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN BY THE SOVIETS.

George Shultz: THE UNITED STATES REACTS WITH REVULSION

TO THIS ATTACK.

LOSS OF LIFE APPEARS TO BE HEAVY.

WE CAN SEE NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER FOR THIS APPALLING ACT.

Narrator: SOVIET OFFICIALS ADMIT A FIGHTER JET

DID, IN FACT, SHOOT DOWN THE PLANE.

BUT THEY INSIST THE ATTACK WAS JUSTIFIED.

Oberg: THE SOVIET VIEW WAS THAT IT WAS ON A SPY MISSION,

PERHAPS CARRYING INSTRUMENTS, CAMERAS, RECORDERS,

AND SO FORTH.

Narrator: THE SOVIET UNION CLAIMS FLIGHT 007

ENTERED HIGHLY RESTRICTED AIRSPACE

UNDER ORDERS FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

TENSIONS BETWEEN THE SOVIETS AND THE WEST RATCHET UP.

THE UNITED NATIONS CALLS

ON THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION

AND ITS INVESTIGATORS TO FIND ANSWERS.

CAJ FROSTELL IS THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR.

Caj Frostell: ICAO OFFERS A NEUTRAL INVESTIGATION,

AN INVESTIGATION TEAM THAT CAN DEAL WITH ALL PARTIES INVOLVED

IN A NEUTRAL WAY.

Narrator: KAL 007'S FLIGHT PLAN

SHOULD HAVE KEPT IT WELL AWAY FROM SOVIET AIRSPACE.

EITHER IT WAS SHOT DOWN OVER INTERNATIONAL WATERS,

OR THE FLIGHT HAD STRAYED OFF COURSE.

FIGURING OUT WHICH

IS THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR INVESTIGATORS.

BUT THEY FACE A HUGE OBSTACLE.

THE WRECKAGE IS LOST IN THE SEA OF JAPAN

AND THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES ARE MISSING.

Frostell: THE LACK OF FLIGHT RECORDERS,

DATA RECORDER, COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,

THAT'S SIGNIFICANT IN AN INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: FROSTELL GETS INFORMATION

FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE--

THE U.S. MILITARY.

IN A RARE MOVE, U.S. OFFICIALS SHARE

HIGHLY CLASSIFIED SURVEILLANCE RADAR DATA

FROM THE NIGHT THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN.

WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT KAL 007 IS STUNNING.

TOP SECRET RADAR DATA

SHOWS THE PLANE HAD DRIFTED 350 MILES NORTH

OF WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN

WHEN IT WAS SHOT DOWN.

THE SOVIETS WERE TELLING THE TRUTH.

Frostell: AND THEN IT BECOMES A QUESTION OF DETERMINING

WHY WAS IT OFF COURSE THAT MUCH?

Narrator: TO FIND THE ANSWER,

INVESTIGATORS RUN THE ROUTE THROUGH A FLIGHT SIMULATOR.

Investigator: LET'S TRY THE FLIGHT IN HEADING MODE NOW.

Narrator: THEY WONDER

IF THE PILOTS INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED THE SETTINGS

ON THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM,

TAKING THE PLANE OVER THE SOVIET UNION.

A SECOND POSSIBILITY

IS THAT AFTER PROGRAMMING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM,

THE CREW MAY HAVE FAILED TO TURN IT ON.

Frostell: AFTER TAKEOFF FROM ANCHORAGE,

THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE USED A CONSTANT MAGNETIC HEADING

TO GET TO THE ROUTE.

AND IF IT WAS FORGOTTEN IN THAT CONSTANT MAGNETIC HEADING,

IT WOULD CONTINUE OVER SOVIET AIRSPACE.

Narrator: THE MAGNETIC HEADING

WOULD HAVE KEPT THE PLANE FLYING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

BUT ALONG A VERY DIFFERENT ROUTE THAN THE ONE PLANNED.

AT THIS POINT,

FROSTELL CAN ONLY SPECULATE WHY FLIGHT 007 WAS OFF COURSE.

BUT WHAT'S EVEN HARDER TO UNDERSTAND

IS WHY THE SOVIET UNION WOULD RISK STARTING A WAR

BY SHOOTING IT DOWN.

Man: APPROACH TARGET AND DESTROY.

Oberg: THE SOVIETS RESORTED TO DEADLY FORCE

TO PUNISH THIS INTRUDER.

IT'S LIKE SHOOTING THE PAPERBOY IN YOUR FRONT YARD AT NIGHT

BECAUSE YOU THINK HE MIGHT BE BREAKING INTO YOUR HOUSE.

Narrator: WHAT COULD PROMPT SUCH A RESPONSE FROM THE SOVIETS?

INVESTIGATORS GET THEIR ANSWER FROM THE U.S. MILITARY.

ALTHOUGH FLIGHT 007

MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ON A SPY MISSION THAT NIGHT,

ANOTHER PLANE WAS--

A U.S. AIR FORCE RC-135.

Oberg: THEY WERE TRACKING AN RC-135,

WHICH WAS DOING VERY SLOW FIGURE-EIGHTS

OFF THE COAST,

WITH ITS OWN LISTENING DEVICES

WAITING FOR A SOVIET MISSILE TEST.

Narrator: THE SPY PLANE WAS NEAR THE SOVIET BORDER

IN THE PATH OF THE KAL JETLINER.

WHEN THEIR PATHS CROSSED,

THE TWO PLANES MAY HAVE BEEN INDISTINGUISHABLE

ON SOVIET RADAR.

Oberg: ALONG CAME THIS INTRUDER,

AND THEY JUST FELL INTO THE PATTERNS

THAT THEY HAD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR SUCH AN INTRUDER.

Narrator: THE ORDER WAS GIVEN TO SHOOT DOWN THE INTRUDER.

Man: GIVE WARNING BURST WITH CANNON.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator: THE WARNING SHOTS GO UNNOTICED.

Man: TAKE UP POSITION FOR ATTACK.

APPROACH TARGET AND DESTROY.

Pilot: ROGER. LOCKED ON ALREADY.

EXECUTED LAUNCH.

Narrator: DID THE RUSSIAN FIGHTER PILOT

GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THE TARGET WITH HIS OWN EYES?

[EXPLOSION]

DID HE KNOW IT WAS A PASSENGER JET?

Pilot: TARGET IS DESTROYED.

Narrator: THE KEY TO THIS MYSTERY

LIES INSIDE THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES,

WHICH THEY ASSUME ARE LOST FOREVER BENEATH THE SEA.

IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING THE KAL DISASTER,

WRECKAGE AND UNIDENTIFIABLE HUMAN REMAINS

WASH ASHORE IN NORTHERN JAPAN.

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE PLANE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

INVESTIGATORS HAVE INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

TO DETERMINE WHY THE PLANE VEERED OFF COURSE.

BUT SOVIET OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN HIDING SOMETHING.

ONE MONTH AFTER THE INCIDENT,

NOT ONLY DID THEY FIND THE WRECKAGE,

THEY ALSO FOUND THE ALL-IMPORTANT BLACK BOXES

AND KEPT THAT A SECRET FOR NEARLY TEN YEARS.

Reporter: TONIGHT IN BERLIN,

THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO GERMANYS IS BECOMING...

Narrator: AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION IN 1991,

THE NEW RUSSIAN ADMINISTRATION

DECIDES TO GO PUBLIC ON THE INCIDENT.

Frostell: I WAS APPROACHED BY A KGB GENERAL,

AND HE TOLD ME THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ME,

BUT I HAVE HAD THE RECORDERS FOR TEN YEARS.

I HAD THEM IN THE SAFE IN MY OFFICE.

I KNEW IT WAS A BIG INTERNATIONAL SECRET.

IT BOTHERED ME TREMENDOUSLY.

Narrator: CAJ FROSTELL

IS EAGER TO LISTEN TO THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Frostell: SO I KNEW THEY'RE GONNA TELL ME SOMETHING.

I WANTED TO HAVE THE FACTS FROM THE TAPES.

Chun: WHAT?

IT'S ALREADY TIME FOR BREAKFAST?

First officer: YOU WANT TO EAT NOW?

Narrator: BUT ALL THE INVESTIGATORS HEAR

IS IDLE BANTER FROM THE CREW;

NOTHING TO SUGGEST IT'S A SPY PLANE.

First officer: I HEARD THERE'S A CURRENCY EXCHANGE

AT THE AIRPORT.

Chun: WHAT KIND OF MONEY?

First officer: DOLLARS TO KOREAN MONEY.

Oberg: JUST A TOTALLY ROUTINE CONVERSATION.

AND EITHER THESE GUYS ARE THE MOST COLD-BLOODED ACTORS

AND FALSIFIERS EVER,

OR THEY REALLY WERE TOTALLYCLUELESS ABOUT WHERE THEY WERE.

SADLY, I THINK THE LATTER'S THE CASE.

Narrator: FROSTELL FINALLY FINDS THE DEFINITIVE ANSWER

WHEN HE ANALYZES THE INFORMATION FROM THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

Frostell: THE DATA REVEALED

THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON CONSTANT MAGNETIC HEADING

FROM SOON AFTER TAKEOFF FROM ANCHORAGE TO...

TO THE END.

Narrator: THE CREW OF KAL 007

NEVER SWITCHED TO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM

THAT WOULD HAVE KEPT THEM OUT OF SOVIET AIRSPACE.

IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL ERROR THAT CAUSES A HORRIFIC TRAGEDY.

IN 1993,

CAJ FROSTELL HAS THE EVIDENCE THAT HE SORELY LACKED

WHEN HE ISSUED HIS FIRST REPORT.

NOW HE CAN PROVE HOW THE KOREAN PILOTS BLUNDERED

AND ENDED UP OFF COURSE.

THE DESTRUCTION OF FLIGHT 007 IS RULED AN ACCIDENT.

FROSTELL RECOMMENDS THAT ALL PASSENGER PLANES

BE EQUIPPED WITH A CLEAR INDICATOR

THAT THE AUTOPILOT IS IN HEADING MODE.

Oberg: THE TRAGEDY OF 007 IS THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN,

IT WAS NOT INEVITABLE.

Pilot: TARGET IS DESTROYED.

Oberg: IT WAS A SERIES OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS,

A SERIES OF BAD DECISIONS THAT HAD BEEN PRIMED AHEAD OF TIME.

Narrator: STALLED BY COLD WAR TENSIONS,

IT TAKES INVESTIGATORS MORE THAN A DECADE

TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF FLIGHT 007.

Robert Benzon: WHEN YOU HAVE EITHER A BOMBING

OR A SHOOT-DOWN,

UH, POLITICS BEGINS TO PLAY A LARGE PORTION

OF WHAT DRIVES AN INVESTIGATION,

AND SOMETIMES IT COMPLICATES THE NEUTRALITY OF ANY GROUP

TRYING TO INVESTIGATE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

Captain: I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING HOME

AND SEEING THE KIDS.

First officer: AND EATING A PROPER HOME-COOKED MEAL.

Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17

IS 2 1/2 HOURS INTO AN 11 1/2-HOUR TRIP

FROM AMSTERDAM TO KUALA LUMPUR.

THE CABIN IS FILLED TO CAPACITY, WITH 283 PASSENGERS ON BOARD.

Flight attendant: ALL DONE?

Passenger: YEAH.

ARE YOU BRINGING THE DRINK CART AGAIN SOON?

Flight attendant: OF COURSE. WHAT CAN I GET YOU?

Passenger: I'LL HAVE A BEER, PLEASE.

Narrator: MOST ARE DUTCH TOURISTS

PLANNING TO CONNECT TO VACATION SPOTS

IN AUSTRALIA, THAILAND, AND INDONESIA.

J.F. Joseph: EUROPEAN TRAVELERS ON HOLIDAY

WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PREPONDERANCE

OF THE FOLKS ON BOARD.

CERTAINLY THERE WERE SOME BUSINESS PEOPLE,

BUT FOR THE LION'S SHARE OF THE PASSENGERS

IT WAS PEOPLE ON VACATION.

Narrator: MH-17'S SCHEDULED FLIGHT PATH

TAKES IT ACROSS EASTERN EUROPE, CENTRAL ASIA,

AND THE BAY OF BENGAL

BEFORE REACHING MALAYSIA'S CAPITAL,

KUALA LUMPUR.

BUT THEY'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND SCHEDULE TODAY.

Captain: MALAYSIAN 17,

IS LEVEL THREE-FOUR-ZERO NON-STANDARD AVAILABLE?

Narrator: NOW FLYING IN UKRAINIAN AIRSPACE,

THE PILOTS REQUEST PERMISSION TO CLIMB A THOUSAND FEET

WHERE THEY CAN FLY FASTER TO MAKE UP TIME.

THE SKIES OVER THE UKRAINE ARE BUSY TODAY.

THE LOCAL CONTROLLER

IS NOT ABLE TO GRANT THE MALAYSIAN PILOT'S REQUEST.

Controller: MALAYSIA 17,

THREE-FOUR-ZERO IS NOT AVAILABLE.

Captain: ROGER, MAINTAIN THREE-THREE-ZERO.

First officer: WELL, WE TRIED.

Captain: WE'LL MAKE IT UP OVER RUSSIA.

LOOKS LIKE CLEAR SAILING FROM HERE.

Narrator: THOUGH THE UKRAINE HAS ACCUSED RUSSIA

OF SUPPORTING ARMED SEPARATISTS IN EASTERN UKRAINE...

[PHONE RINGS]

BOTH NATIONS ARE STILL COOPERATING

WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL AVIATION.

Controller: TO POINT ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA?

PERFECT. THANK YOU.

Narrator: THE UKRAINIAN CONTROLLER

GETS WORD FROM ITS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART.

MH-17 IS CLEARED TO THE NEXT RADAR POINT.

Controller: MALAYSIA 17,

PROCEED DIRECT TO POINT ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA.

Captain: ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA,

MALAYSIAN 17.

WE'RE CLEAR TO RUSSIA.

Joseph: THE CREW HAD JUST TRANSMITTED

A NOMINAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TRANSMISSION.

THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY THREAT AT THAT POINT.

IT WAS ROUTINE AND MUNDANE.

Controller: MALAYSIA 17, DNIPRO RADAR, PLEASE COME IN.

Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17

HAS FALLEN OFF RADAR.

Controller: MALAYSIA 17, DNIPRO RADAR HERE,

PLEASE COME IN.

Narrator: THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER

MAKES A CALL TO REPORT THE DISAPPEARANCE.

AROUND THE WORLD, REACTION IS SWIFT.

President Obama: NEARLY 300 INNOCENT LIVES WERE TAKEN--

MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN

WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE.

THEIR DEATHS ARE A OUTRAGE OF UNSPEAKABLE PROPORTIONS.

Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES MH-17

HAS CRASHED IN EASTERN UKRAINE.

President Obama: EVIDENCE INDICATES

THAT THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN BY A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE

THAT WAS LAUNCHED FROM AN AREA

THAT IS CONTROLLED BY RUSSIAN-BACKED SEPARATISTS

INSIDE OF UKRAINE.

Narrator: THE DUTCH SAFETY BOARD

HAS ALREADY MOBILIZED AN AIR ACCIDENT TEAM.

WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

THAT THE DOWNING WAS INTENTIONAL,

AIR CRASH INVESTIGATORS...

Man: HELLO?

Narrator: ...HAVE INHERITED A DIFFICULT SITUATION.

DESPITE IMMEDIATE SPECULATION,

THERE'S STILL NO EVIDENCE CONFIRMING WHERE IT CAME FROM

AND WHO FIRED IT.

THEY NEED PROOF.

BUT MH-17 CRASHED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE DISPUTED AREA,

IN THE REGION OF DONETSK.

INVESTIGATORS CAN'T GET ACCESS TO THE WRECKAGE.

Ron Smits: I'M SORRY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WHAT'S IMPOSSIBLE?

Smits, translated: IT'S IMPORTANT

THAT THE PIECES OF WRECKAGE REMAIN UNDISTURBED.

THEY ARE SILENT WITNESSES.

PIECES OF WRECKAGE TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED.

A TOTAL PICTURE OF ALL THE WRECKAGE TOGETHER

GIVES YOU A TOTAL STORY.

Man: BEST BET, IT WAS SHOT DOWN.

PROVING IT WITHOUT ANY WRECKAGE IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.

Kas Beumkes: DURING A NORMAL INVESTIGATION,

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU DO

IS THE SECURITY OF THE WRECKAGE AREA.

AND THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE HERE.

Smits: HOW CAN WE CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION

WITHOUT SEEING THE WRECKAGE?

Beumkes: LET'S ZOOM IN TO THE CRASH AREA.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO FIGURE OUT

WHY MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17 CRASHED.

Man: WHAT DO WE WANT? Crowd: JUSTICE!

Man: WHAT DO WE WANT? Crowd: JUSTICE!

Man: WHAT DO WE WANT? Crowd: JUSTICE!

Joseph: THE FAMILIES THAT LOST OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS,

CREW MEMBERS THAT WERE ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT,

THEY WANT SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION.

THEY WANT SOMETHING TO HELP THEMPUT THIS ISSUE TO REST.

Narrator: A FEW DAYS LATER, THE INVESTIGATION GETS A BREAK.

MILITANTS IN UKRAINE HAVE RECOVERED THE BLACK BOXES

AND HANDED THEM OVER TO MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES.

IT'S A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT.

ANALYSIS OF THE COCKPIT RECORDINGS AND THE FLIGHT DATA

REVEALS THAT THE FLIGHT WAS PROCEEDING NORMALLY.

Captain: ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA,

MALAYSIAN 17.

Narrator: THEN THE RECORDING ENDS ABRUPTLY.

Captain: WE'RE CLEAR TO RUSSIA.

Beumkes: SO NOT A SINGLE WARNING.

EVERYTHING IS FINE, AND THEN IT, IT JUST STOPS.

Joseph: WITH THE INSTANTANEOUS AND COMBINED FAILURE

OF BOTH THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

AND THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

THAT'S INDICATIVE OF LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER SIMULTANEOUSLY,

WHICH IS ANALOGOUS GENERALLY WITH A CATASTROPHIC EVENT.

Beumkes: PLAY IT AGAIN.

Narrator: BUT THERE'S MORE ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

THAT INTERESTS INVESTIGATORS.

Captain: WE'RE CLEAR TO RUSSIA.

Beumkes: DO YOU HEAR THAT?

Narrator: THEY DISCOVER TWO SOUND PEAKS

JUST BEFORE THE RECORDING STOPS.

Beumkes: CAN YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM?

Narrator: THE COCKPIT HAS FOUR MICROPHONES.

INVESTIGATORS HOPE TO TRIANGULATE

THE LOCATION OF THE SOUND

BY MEASURING WHEN THE SPIKES HIT EACH MICROPHONE.

Beumkes: IT HIT THE CAPTAIN'S MIKE FIRST,

THEN MOVED BACK THROUGH THE COCKPIT.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SOUND CAME FROM IN FRONT OF THE CAPTAIN

OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPLANE.

Beumkes: THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT

BECAUSE IT WAS ONE CLEAR INDICATION

THAT, UM, THE SOURCE

OF THE THING THAT HAPPENED TO THIS AIRPLANE

CAME FROM OUTSIDE.

Beumkes: THAT SEALS IT.

AN EXPLOSION OUTSIDE MEANS IT MUST HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN.

SHOT DOWN BY WHAT?

WE NEED THAT WRECKAGE.

Narrator: FINALLY,

ALMOST FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH OF MH-17...

Smits: SMITS HERE.

Narrator: ...INVESTIGATORS GET THE BREAK THEY NEED.

Smits: THAT IS WONDERFUL NEWS.

Narrator: PERMISSION TO TRAVEL TO EASTERN UKRAINE.

Smits: THANK YOU.

WE'RE A GO.

WE'RE ALLOWED IN!

FOR REAL THIS TIME.

Soldier: STAY AWAY FROM OVER THERE.

THERE ARE LAND MINES.

Narrator: WHEN DUTCH INVESTIGATORS GET ACCESS

TO THE WRECKAGE SITES OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17,

THEY HAVE TO WORK FAST.

[EXPLOSION]

Smits: WHAT WAS THAT?

Soldier: ARTILLERY, BEING FIRED ACROSS THE BORDER.

Narrator: THE SITES ARE LOCATED

IN A TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY SEPARATIST FORCES.

THE FRONT LINE IS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY.

Abeltje Tromp, translated: THERE WAS STILL FIGHTING

IN THE AREA.

WE HEARD ARTILLERY AND SMALL ARMS FIRE.

FOR THAT REASON, WE ALSO WORE FLAK JACKETS.

IT WAS CRAZY BECAUSE YOU'D HEAR THE NOISE,

AND IT MEANT AT THAT MOMENT PEOPLE WERE GETTING WOUNDED,

OR WORSE.

Smits: THIS IS NOT PART OF THE PLANE.

Narrator: DUTCH INVESTIGATORS

MANAGE TO BRING PIECES OF THE WRECKAGE

BACK TO THE NETHERLANDS

AND QUICKLY NARROW THEIR FOCUS ON THE SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT

THAT THEY BELIEVE WAS CLOSEST TO THE BLAST.

Smits, translated: ALL OF THE WRECKAGE

THAT WAS FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT

WAS ANALYZED VERY PRECISELY.

Narrator: THEY START RECONSTRUCTING THE COCKPIT.

Beumkes: BLAST DEPOSITS.

Narrator: THE LEFT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT

HAS SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE.

Smits: AND YOU SEE HOW THE METAL IS BUCKLING IN HERE

NEAR THE SUPPORTS.

Beumkes: AND THEN THE HOLES.

HIT BY A PRESSURE WAVE.

Smits: ALL THOSE PENETRATIONS,

THAT WAS A HORRIFIC SIGHT.

YOU SEE THE DEVASTATING POWER OF THE HUNDREDS OF OBJECTS

THAT PENETRATED THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT

AND WHERE THE IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP STARTED.

THAT'S OVERWHELMING.

BUT IT'S ALSO VERY GOOD PROOF OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Narrator: WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION

NEARLY COMPLETE,

INVESTIGATORS SEPARATE PIECES OF SHRAPNEL MADE OF STEEL

FROM THE ALUMINUM SHELL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Smits: THESE STEEL PIECES HAVE TO BE FROM THE WARHEAD.

Narrator: THE ONLY EXPLANATION

IS THAT A MISSILE EXPLODED OUTSIDE OF THE PLANE.

Beumkes: ANOTHER PIECE FROM THE MISSILE?

Smits: YEAH, I THINK SO.

BUT THIS LOOKS DIFFERENT.

Beumkes: I'VE SEEN THIS KIND OF PIECE BEFORE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS LINK BOW-TIE SHAPED FRAGMENTS

TO A SPECIFIC WARHEAD.

Beumkes: THERE IT IS.

A BUK MISSILE.

Narrator: THE FRAGMENTS ARE FROM THE WARHEAD

OF A BUK SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SYSTEM.

Joseph: WITH A FRAGMENTATION TYPE WARHEAD,

THE WARHEAD DETONATES,

AND BETWEEN 7,000 AND 8,000

OF THESE PRE-FORMED, SHAPED FRAGMENTS

ARE DISPERSED AGAINST THE TARGET AT VERY HIGH VELOCITY.

EACH ONE OF THESE FRAGMENTS IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED

TO RIP THROUGH AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM.

Narrator: THERE'S AMPLE EVIDENCE

THAT THE RUSSIAN-BACKED MILITANTS

HAVE ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF WEAPON.

Joseph: THESE HIGH-PERFORMANCE MISSILES

ACTUALLY WILL ENCOUNTER A TARGET AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF MACH 3.

THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE NO CAPACITY OR EXPECTATION

FOR THE FLIGHT CREW TO EVEN KNOW

THAT THEY WERE BEING ENGAGED BY SUCH A WEAPON.

Narrator: BUT WHY WAS THE MALAYSIA AIRLINES PLANE

FLYING THROUGH A CONFLICT ZONE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Smits: SECURITY SERVICE REPORT?

Beumkes: SKIP TO PAGE 24.

Narrator: LOOKING AT THE UKRAINIAN AIRSPACE

LEADING UP TO THE CRASH,

INVESTIGATORS LEARN THAT UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES

WERE RESPONDING TO THE THREAT IN THE AREA

BY RESTRICTING FLIGHTS AT INCREASINGLY HIGHER ALTITUDES.

BUT CRUCIALLY, THEY NEVER CLOSED THE AIRSPACE COMPLETELY.

Joseph: MALAYSIAN AIRLINES WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT

THAN 160 OTHER FLIGHTS

THAT HAD TRANSGRESSED THAT AIRSPACE THE SAME DAY.

THEY WERE NOT THE LONE RANGER IN THAT AIRSPACE.

IT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE

THAT THEY WERE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.

Narrator: IN ITS FINAL REPORT,

THE DUTCH SAFETY BOARD CALLS ON AIRLINES

TO IMPROVE THEIR RISK ASSESSMENT CAPABILITIES

SO THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND

THE DANGERS POSED BY MILITARY THREATS.

Derner: IT'S IMPORTANT THAT DISPATCHERS AND OPERATIONS FOLKS

AND PILOTS

ARE PLANNING THEIR FLIGHTS

AROUND DANGEROUS AIRSPACE

THAT HAS ANY KIND OF ISSUE.

THE RESTRICTIONS ARE THERE.

MALAYSIA 17 WAS OPERATING

WITHIN ALL OF THE RESTRICTIONS AND ADVISORIES

THAT WERE IN PLACE,

BUT THOSE ADVISORIES WERE JUST NOT ENOUGH.

Narrator: A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

AS TO WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEADLY ATTACK

REMAINS UNSOLVED.

HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST

BECAUSE CIVILIAN AIRLINERS HAVE BECOME TARGETS.

EACH SHOCKING CRASH HORRIFIES THE FLYING PUBLIC.

BUT FROM EACH INCIDENT, VITAL LESSONS ARE LEARNED

ON HOW AIRLINERS CAN BEPROTECTED FROM THE HEAT OF WAR.

THE CONTINUING HOPE IS THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.