MOSCOW, July 18 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's State Aviation Administration has closed the airspace above the Donetsk, Luhansk and part of Kharkiv Regions after a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane crashed in the Donetsk Region, Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry said Friday, confirming an earlier announcement of European air traffic management service Eurocontrol.
"The government has launched a special commission to investigate the Boeing 777 crash. Besides, international organizations on security and flight navigation have expressed their preparedness to help in determining the causes of the Мalaysia Airlines aircraft crash on the Ukrainian territory," said in the statement.
"The representatives of the aviation authorities of the countries, whose citizens were on board the plane, have also been invited to join the investigation," the ministry said.
A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed near the town of Torez in the Donetsk Region on Thursday, killing all the 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board.
Several Russian airlines suspended transit flights over Ukraine after the crash. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said flights could be resumed only if their full safety is guaranteed.
Ukraine’s state-run air traffic operator Ukraerorukh announced that leading international specialists would be engaged to clarify the circumstances of the tragedy.
Russia's Emergencies Ministry said Thursday it had filed an official request to its Ukrainian colleagues to conduct joint works at the crash site.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a full, transparent international investigation and said he was following closely every report on the accident together with the International Civil Aviation Organization.
