1 00:00:01,566 --> 00:00:04,004 Controller: DO YOU READ ME, METROJET 9268? 2 00:00:04,047 --> 00:00:06,484 Narrator: CHARRED WRECKAGE IN THE SINAI DESERT 3 00:00:06,528 --> 00:00:09,618 IS ALL THAT'S LEFT OF A RUSSIAN AIRPLANE. 4 00:00:09,661 --> 00:00:12,403 Man: THAT GETS EVERYONE'S EARS PERKED UP. 5 00:00:12,447 --> 00:00:15,928 AIRBUS AIRCRAFT JUST SIMPLY DO NOT FALL OUT OF THE SKY. 6 00:00:15,972 --> 00:00:18,279 Pilot: TOKYO CENTER, KOREAN AIR 007. 7 00:00:18,322 --> 00:00:22,587 Narrator: A 747 PLUNGES TOWARDS THE SEA OF JAPAN. 8 00:00:22,631 --> 00:00:24,154 Man: THE STORY BEGAN CIRCULATING IN WASHINGTON 9 00:00:24,198 --> 00:00:27,636 THAT THE SOVIETS HAD BEEN INVOLVED. 10 00:00:27,679 --> 00:00:28,941 Narrator: AND A COMMERCIAL AIRLINER 11 00:00:28,985 --> 00:00:31,553 CRASHES OVER EASTERN UKRAINE. 12 00:00:31,596 --> 00:00:33,990 Man: THIS IS NOT PART OF THE PLANE. 13 00:00:34,034 --> 00:00:35,731 Man: THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION 14 00:00:35,774 --> 00:00:37,646 THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN. 15 00:00:37,689 --> 00:00:38,734 Man: BLAST DEPOSITS. 16 00:00:38,777 --> 00:00:40,823 Man: BUT YOU WANT FACTS. 17 00:00:40,866 --> 00:00:42,216 Narrator: RUMORS SURFACE QUICKLY 18 00:00:42,259 --> 00:00:45,219 ABOUT WHAT CAUSED ALL THREE DEADLY DISASTERS. 19 00:00:45,262 --> 00:00:48,700 Man: THE EVIDENCE OF A BOMBING OR A MISSILE ATTACK 20 00:00:48,744 --> 00:00:50,920 SHOWS ITSELF EARLIER IN AN INVESTIGATION 21 00:00:50,963 --> 00:00:52,530 THAN IT WOULD OTHERWISE. 22 00:00:52,574 --> 00:00:54,271 President Obama: THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN 23 00:00:54,315 --> 00:00:56,360 BY A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE. 24 00:00:56,404 --> 00:00:59,276 Narrator: BUT CAN INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER THE EVIDENCE THEY NEED 25 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,584 TO SOLVE THE MYSTERIES BEHIND THESE EXPLOSIVE TRAGEDIES? 26 00:01:05,282 --> 00:01:06,240 Flight attendant: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 27 00:01:06,283 --> 00:01:07,676 WE ARE STARTING OUR APPROACH. 28 00:01:07,719 --> 00:01:09,025 Pilot: WE LOST BOTH ENGINES! 29 00:01:09,069 --> 00:01:09,939 Flight attendant: PUT THE MASK OVER YOUR NOSE. 30 00:01:09,982 --> 00:01:10,940 EMERGENCY DESCENT. 31 00:01:10,983 --> 00:01:12,072 Pilot: MAYDAY, MAYDAY! 32 00:01:12,115 --> 00:01:13,943 Flight attendant: BRACE FOR IMPACT! 33 00:01:13,986 --> 00:01:15,336 Controller: I THINK I LOST ONE. 34 00:01:15,379 --> 00:01:17,077 Man: INVESTIGATION STARTING INTO THIS TRAGEDY... 35 00:01:18,165 --> 00:01:19,296 Man: HE'S GONNA CRASH! 36 00:01:19,340 --> 00:01:32,614 ♪ 37 00:01:32,657 --> 00:01:34,181 Narrator: IT'S JUST BEFORE 6 A.M. 38 00:01:34,224 --> 00:01:36,357 AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH AIRPORT IN EGYPT. 39 00:01:40,622 --> 00:01:44,800 217 PASSENGERS ARE HEADED HOME TO SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA, 40 00:01:44,843 --> 00:01:46,193 AFTER A HOLIDAY GETAWAY. 41 00:01:48,543 --> 00:01:51,720 THEY'RE FLYING ON METROJET FLIGHT 9268. 42 00:01:51,763 --> 00:01:52,721 Flight attendant: THAT'LL NEVER FIT. 43 00:01:52,764 --> 00:01:53,983 LET ME STORE IT AT THE BACK. 44 00:01:56,420 --> 00:01:59,858 Narrator: THE CAPTAIN IS VALERY NEMOV, 45 00:01:59,902 --> 00:02:04,863 AN EXPERIENCED AVIATOR WITH 12,000 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME. 46 00:02:04,907 --> 00:02:07,431 First officer: EXTERIOR CHECK COMPLETE. 47 00:02:07,475 --> 00:02:09,041 Valery Nemov: EVERYTHING IN ORDER OUT THERE? 48 00:02:09,085 --> 00:02:10,042 First officer: ALL GOOD, CAPTAIN. 49 00:02:12,654 --> 00:02:15,700 Narrator: THE AIRCRAFT IS AN AIRBUS A321, 50 00:02:15,744 --> 00:02:18,007 A LONGER VERSION OF THE AIRBUS A320. 51 00:02:22,533 --> 00:02:25,536 THE FLIGHT PATH IS NORTHEAST FROM SHARM EL-SHEIKH 52 00:02:25,580 --> 00:02:27,930 ALONG THE GULF OF AQABA. 53 00:02:27,973 --> 00:02:30,976 IT THEN HEADS NORTH OVER CYPRUS, 54 00:02:31,020 --> 00:02:32,674 TURKEY, UKRAINE, 55 00:02:32,717 --> 00:02:34,328 AND FINALLY INTO RUSSIAN AIRSPACE, 56 00:02:34,371 --> 00:02:37,592 ENDING IN SAINT PETERSBURG. 57 00:02:37,635 --> 00:02:41,291 TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IS EXPECTED TO BE 4 HOURS AND 40 MINUTES. 58 00:02:43,467 --> 00:02:45,600 First officer: V-1. 59 00:02:45,643 --> 00:02:47,341 Nemov: V-1. 60 00:02:47,384 --> 00:02:48,820 First officer: ROTATE. 61 00:02:51,910 --> 00:02:53,825 Narrator: AT 5:51 A.M., 62 00:02:53,869 --> 00:02:56,872 METROJET FLIGHT 9268 LIFTS INTO THE AIR. 63 00:02:58,874 --> 00:03:02,225 David Learmount: THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF IN A STANDARD WAY. 64 00:03:02,269 --> 00:03:04,009 NO PROBLEMS WITH THE TAKEOFF. 65 00:03:04,053 --> 00:03:05,533 NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CLIMB. 66 00:03:09,928 --> 00:03:11,974 Controller: METROJET 9268, 67 00:03:12,017 --> 00:03:14,150 PREPARE TO CONTACT NICOSIA CONTROL, 68 00:03:14,194 --> 00:03:16,761 LOCAL FREQUENCY. 69 00:03:16,805 --> 00:03:18,937 Nemov: AFFIRMATIVE, SHARM EL-SHEIKH. 70 00:03:18,981 --> 00:03:21,157 WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE'VE LEFT EGYPT AIRSPACE. 71 00:03:25,596 --> 00:03:27,076 Narrator: AT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, 72 00:03:27,119 --> 00:03:29,992 ALL IS GOING SMOOTHLY... 73 00:03:30,035 --> 00:03:31,994 UNTIL 6:13 A.M., 74 00:03:32,037 --> 00:03:35,432 WHEN FLIGHT 9268 DOES SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. 75 00:03:37,478 --> 00:03:40,002 Learmount: IT HAD GONE THROUGH 30,000 FEET, 76 00:03:40,045 --> 00:03:44,180 AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE RADAR RETURN CHANGED. 77 00:03:47,575 --> 00:03:51,927 Narrator: THE PLANE SEEMS TO BE DROPPING. 78 00:03:51,970 --> 00:03:54,364 Controller: METROJET 9268, 79 00:03:54,408 --> 00:03:56,410 ARE YOU EXPERIENCING ANY DIFFICULTIES? 80 00:03:58,455 --> 00:04:00,805 Oliver McGee: THEN ALL OF SUDDEN, 81 00:04:00,849 --> 00:04:02,938 EVERYTHING JUST DROPPED OFF, 82 00:04:02,981 --> 00:04:05,941 JUST DROPPED AND DISAPPEARED. 83 00:04:05,984 --> 00:04:08,160 Controller: DO YOU READ ME, METROJET 9268? 84 00:04:10,293 --> 00:04:11,381 Learmount: THAT'S WHEN 85 00:04:11,425 --> 00:04:13,383 THE ADRENALINE STARTS KICKING IN. 86 00:04:13,427 --> 00:04:14,471 Controller: DO YOU READ ME? 87 00:04:16,125 --> 00:04:17,431 [GRUNTING] 88 00:04:19,346 --> 00:04:24,264 [SCREAMING] 89 00:04:28,572 --> 00:04:30,487 Narrator: METROJET 9268 90 00:04:30,531 --> 00:04:34,317 HAS CRASHED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT. 91 00:04:34,361 --> 00:04:38,147 ALL 224 PASSENGERS AND CREW HAVE PERISHED. 92 00:04:40,802 --> 00:04:42,673 IT'S THE DEADLIEST AIR ACCIDENT 93 00:04:42,717 --> 00:04:46,155 IN THE HISTORY OF RUSSIAN AVIATION. 94 00:04:46,198 --> 00:04:47,809 McGee: AIRBUS AIRCRAFT 95 00:04:47,852 --> 00:04:50,028 JUST SIMPLY DO NOT FALL OUT OF THE SKY. 96 00:04:50,072 --> 00:04:53,684 SO THAT GETS EVERYONE'S EARS PERKED UP 97 00:04:53,728 --> 00:04:55,425 ON WHAT HAPPENED HERE? 98 00:04:58,820 --> 00:05:00,952 Narrator: AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS 99 00:05:00,996 --> 00:05:04,347 GATHERS NEAR THE CRASH ZONE. 100 00:05:04,391 --> 00:05:05,653 EGYPTIAN INVESTIGATORS 101 00:05:05,696 --> 00:05:08,220 WILL WORK ALONGSIDE THEIR RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS 102 00:05:08,264 --> 00:05:11,354 TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG. 103 00:05:11,398 --> 00:05:12,790 Investigator: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. 104 00:05:14,357 --> 00:05:16,359 Investigator: YEAH, YOU, TOO. 105 00:05:16,403 --> 00:05:18,448 Investigator: SO WHAT DO WE GOT? 106 00:05:18,492 --> 00:05:22,191 Narrator: FOR BOTH NATIONS, THE STAKES ARE HIGH. 107 00:05:22,234 --> 00:05:24,802 Learmount: THE RUSSIANS LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE 108 00:05:24,846 --> 00:05:26,978 ON BOARD THAT AIRCRAFT, 109 00:05:27,022 --> 00:05:30,939 AND THEY DON'T WANT THE SAFETY OF RUSSIAN AVIATION 110 00:05:30,982 --> 00:05:33,245 TO BE IMPUGNED. 111 00:05:33,289 --> 00:05:35,291 EGYPT DO NOT WISH 112 00:05:35,335 --> 00:05:38,381 THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AS AN AVIATING NATION 113 00:05:38,425 --> 00:05:40,252 TO BE IMPUGNED AS WELL. 114 00:05:44,735 --> 00:05:46,781 Investigator: THIS IS WHAT WE'RE FINDING. 115 00:05:46,824 --> 00:05:49,087 THE TAIL SECTION IS HERE. 116 00:05:49,131 --> 00:05:52,439 WINGS AND FORWARD FUSELAGE ARE HERE. 117 00:05:52,482 --> 00:05:56,573 Narrator: THE TEAM STARTS BY MAPPING THE CRASH SITE. 118 00:05:56,617 --> 00:05:57,879 THE LENGTHY WRECKAGE TRAIL 119 00:05:57,922 --> 00:06:01,361 PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT FIRST CLUE. 120 00:06:01,404 --> 00:06:02,927 Investigator: MIDAIR BREAKUP. 121 00:06:02,971 --> 00:06:05,843 WELL OVER 20,000 FEET, I'D SAY. 122 00:06:05,887 --> 00:06:07,410 Narrator: THE SIZE OF THE DEBRIS FIELD 123 00:06:07,454 --> 00:06:08,411 TELLS INVESTIGATORS 124 00:06:08,455 --> 00:06:10,021 THAT THE PLANE BROKE APART 125 00:06:10,065 --> 00:06:13,068 HIGH IN THE AIR. 126 00:06:13,111 --> 00:06:14,939 IT'S THE ONLY WAY WRECKAGE COULD BE SPREAD 127 00:06:14,983 --> 00:06:16,550 OVER SUCH A LARGE AREA. 128 00:06:19,466 --> 00:06:22,904 THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINES ARE CHARRED BY FIRE. 129 00:06:22,947 --> 00:06:25,472 THE DAMAGE LEADS INVESTIGATORS TO WONDER 130 00:06:25,515 --> 00:06:30,607 IF AN EXPLOSION ROCKED THE PLANE HIGH UP IN THE SKY. 131 00:06:30,651 --> 00:06:31,956 AND THERE'S REASON TO BELIEVE 132 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,177 FLIGHT 9268 WAS A TARGET OF TERRORISM. 133 00:06:38,354 --> 00:06:39,660 Investigator: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. 134 00:06:42,097 --> 00:06:44,969 THIS TERRORIST GROUP IS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTACK. 135 00:06:47,581 --> 00:06:48,582 Narrator: A TERRORIST GROUP 136 00:06:48,625 --> 00:06:50,497 AFFILIATED WITH THE ISLAMIC STATE 137 00:06:50,540 --> 00:06:54,588 CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR BRINGING DOWN METROJET 9268. 138 00:06:57,982 --> 00:07:00,768 THOUGH THERE IS NO PROOF TO BACK UP THE CLAIM, 139 00:07:00,811 --> 00:07:02,117 THERE'S SPECULATION 140 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,598 THAT ATTACKERS USED A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE. 141 00:07:06,382 --> 00:07:07,862 Mokhtar Awad: THAT GROUP HAS USED 142 00:07:07,905 --> 00:07:10,168 A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE BEFORE. 143 00:07:10,212 --> 00:07:11,953 THEY'VE ALSO POSTED PHOTOGRAPHS 144 00:07:11,996 --> 00:07:14,042 OF DIFFERENT SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES 145 00:07:14,085 --> 00:07:17,611 THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR ARSENAL. 146 00:07:17,654 --> 00:07:19,308 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW 147 00:07:19,351 --> 00:07:21,397 IF THOSE WEAPONS ARE POWERFUL ENOUGH 148 00:07:21,441 --> 00:07:25,445 TO HIT AN AIRLINER AT CRUISING ALTITUDE. 149 00:07:25,488 --> 00:07:28,012 Investigator: THESE ARE THE MISSILES THEY'RE USING. 150 00:07:28,056 --> 00:07:30,754 THE PLANE WAS FLYING AT 31,000 FEET. 151 00:07:30,798 --> 00:07:32,495 WHAT'S THE RANGE ON THOSE MISSILES? 152 00:07:32,539 --> 00:07:35,803 Investigator: I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE SPECS. 153 00:07:35,846 --> 00:07:37,195 CHECK IT OUT. 154 00:07:39,154 --> 00:07:42,418 Narrator: THEY STUDY MILITARY DOCUMENTS. 155 00:07:42,462 --> 00:07:44,681 THEY SOON HAVE THEIR ANSWER. 156 00:07:44,725 --> 00:07:47,336 Investigator: IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. 157 00:07:47,379 --> 00:07:49,381 NOT WITH THE WEAPONS THEY HAVE. 158 00:07:49,425 --> 00:07:51,775 Awad: IT WAS TOO HIGH OF AN ALTITUDE 159 00:07:51,819 --> 00:07:54,299 TO BE A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE, 160 00:07:54,343 --> 00:07:56,345 AND THE INITIAL TALK OF THE POSSIBILITY 161 00:07:56,388 --> 00:07:58,216 OF THE ISLAMIC STATE BEING BEHIND IT 162 00:07:58,260 --> 00:07:59,740 WAS DISMISSED. 163 00:08:01,437 --> 00:08:03,657 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL NOT CERTAIN 164 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:07,574 THE AIRLINER WAS TAKEN DOWN BY A DETONATING DEVICE. 165 00:08:07,617 --> 00:08:09,184 Investigator: READY? 166 00:08:09,227 --> 00:08:11,882 Investigator: LET'S PLAY IT. 167 00:08:11,926 --> 00:08:12,883 Narrator: THEY LOOK TO THE FLIGHT'S 168 00:08:12,927 --> 00:08:14,363 COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER 169 00:08:14,406 --> 00:08:17,932 IN HOPES IT MIGHT PROVIDE CLUES. 170 00:08:17,975 --> 00:08:19,542 Investigator: PLAY THE VERY END AGAIN, 171 00:08:19,586 --> 00:08:21,631 BUT THIS TIME CAN WE TRY TO TAKE OUT SOME BACKGROUND NOISE? 172 00:08:23,372 --> 00:08:24,634 First officer: I HAVE TO LOOK OVER MY SCHEDULE 173 00:08:24,678 --> 00:08:26,027 FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. 174 00:08:28,551 --> 00:08:29,509 [CLICK] 175 00:08:29,552 --> 00:08:32,424 Investigator: WHAT'S THAT SOUND? 176 00:08:32,468 --> 00:08:34,426 CAN YOU ISOLATE IT ANY MORE? 177 00:08:34,470 --> 00:08:36,211 Narrator: A STRANGE NOISE ON THE RECORDING 178 00:08:36,254 --> 00:08:39,040 CATCHES THE ATTENTION OF INVESTIGATORS. 179 00:08:39,083 --> 00:08:40,128 First officer: I HAVE TO LOOK OVER MY SCHEDULE 180 00:08:40,171 --> 00:08:42,826 FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. 181 00:08:42,870 --> 00:08:44,219 [CLICK] 182 00:08:44,262 --> 00:08:45,829 Investigator: THERE'S DEFINITELY A SOUND THERE. 183 00:08:45,873 --> 00:08:48,963 IT'S LIKE A... Investigator: LIKE A BANG. 184 00:08:49,006 --> 00:08:52,140 Investigator: IT SOUNDS LIKE A BEGINNING OF AN EXPLOSION. 185 00:08:52,183 --> 00:08:55,360 Stephen Moss: THERE IS AN EVENT, AND THEN IT STOPS WORKING. 186 00:08:55,404 --> 00:08:57,145 WELL, THAT IN ITS OWN ON ITSELF 187 00:08:57,188 --> 00:08:59,103 IS TELLING YOU SOMETHING. 188 00:08:59,147 --> 00:09:00,583 THAT IS SAYING THAT THERE HAS BEEN 189 00:09:00,627 --> 00:09:03,238 A VERY SUDDEN AND VIOLENT EVENT. 190 00:09:04,935 --> 00:09:07,068 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FIND COMPELLING EVIDENCE 191 00:09:07,111 --> 00:09:08,591 ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER 192 00:09:08,635 --> 00:09:12,682 SUGGESTING AN ONBOARD BLAST OCCURRED. 193 00:09:12,726 --> 00:09:14,597 Investigator: IF WE CAN FIND OUT WHERE THAT SOUND CAME FROM, 194 00:09:14,641 --> 00:09:18,079 WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. 195 00:09:18,122 --> 00:09:20,603 Narrator: THE TEAM NEEDS TO LEARN EVERYTHING IT CAN 196 00:09:20,647 --> 00:09:23,301 FROM THIS CRUCIAL EVIDENCE. 197 00:09:23,345 --> 00:09:25,869 McGee: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDERS, 198 00:09:25,913 --> 00:09:29,786 THEY'RE LEAVING SOME TYPE OF UNKNOWN NOISE 199 00:09:29,830 --> 00:09:33,355 THAT REQUIRES A FREQUENCY SPECTRAL ANALYSIS. 200 00:09:35,966 --> 00:09:39,709 Narrator: AN EXPLOSION PRODUCES TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAVES. 201 00:09:39,753 --> 00:09:42,364 A SHOCK WAVE VIBRATES THROUGH THE FUSELAGE 202 00:09:42,407 --> 00:09:45,933 AT SPEEDS OF UP TO 16,000 FEET PER SECOND. 203 00:09:45,976 --> 00:09:48,500 A MUCH SLOWER SOUND WAVE TRAVELS THROUGH THE AIR 204 00:09:48,544 --> 00:09:50,372 AT 1,100 FEET PER SECOND. 205 00:09:52,330 --> 00:09:54,245 BOTH OF THESE WAVES ARE CAPTURED 206 00:09:54,289 --> 00:09:57,335 BY THE SENSITIVE COCKPIT MICROPHONES. 207 00:09:57,379 --> 00:09:58,423 Investigator: CAN WE SEE THE CLOSE-UP 208 00:09:58,467 --> 00:10:01,470 OF THE CAPTAIN'S MICROPHONE, PLEASE? 209 00:10:01,513 --> 00:10:03,690 Narrator: COMPARING THE TIMING OF THE TWO DIFFERENT WAVES 210 00:10:03,733 --> 00:10:04,778 COULD HELP INVESTIGATORS 211 00:10:04,821 --> 00:10:07,041 PINPOINT THE ORIGIN OF THE BLAST. 212 00:10:09,565 --> 00:10:12,394 THE SMALL GAP IN TIME BETWEEN THE TWO WAVES 213 00:10:12,437 --> 00:10:14,701 IS A HUGE CLUE FOR INVESTIGATORS. 214 00:10:14,744 --> 00:10:16,137 Investigator: THAT'S THE SOUND WAVE, 215 00:10:16,180 --> 00:10:17,747 AND THAT'S THE SHOCK WAVE. 216 00:10:17,791 --> 00:10:19,444 SO THE SOUND WAVE HIT THE MICROPHONE 217 00:10:19,488 --> 00:10:23,144 JUST OVER 100th OF A SECOND AFTER THE SHOCK WAVE. 218 00:10:23,187 --> 00:10:25,755 Narrator: THEY ALREADY KNOW THE SPEED OF EACH WAVE. 219 00:10:25,799 --> 00:10:27,583 NOW, WITH THE TIME GAP, 220 00:10:27,627 --> 00:10:30,542 THEY CAN CALCULATE EXACTLY HOW FAR THEY TRAVELED. 221 00:10:33,415 --> 00:10:36,766 Investigator: I THINK IT STARTED AT THE REAR OF THE PLANE. 222 00:10:36,810 --> 00:10:38,681 RIGHT HERE. AT THE VERY LEFT. 223 00:10:38,725 --> 00:10:42,337 Narrator: CLEVER DETECTIVE WORK REVEALS THAT A BLAST ORIGINATED 224 00:10:42,380 --> 00:10:43,991 IN THE REAR OF THE PLANE. 225 00:10:45,732 --> 00:10:48,909 NOW INVESTIGATORS WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. 226 00:10:51,868 --> 00:10:53,348 Investigator: LOOK AT THIS! 227 00:10:53,391 --> 00:10:55,829 Narrator: THEY HOPE WRECKAGE FROM THE REAR OF THE PLANE 228 00:10:55,872 --> 00:10:57,657 AN PROVIDE A CLUE. 229 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:02,531 Investigator: I THINK I SAW ANOTHER ONE JUST LIKE THAT. 230 00:11:02,574 --> 00:11:07,188 Narrator: WHILE THEY RE-EXAMINE THE WRECKAGE OF METROJET 9268... 231 00:11:07,231 --> 00:11:08,406 Investigator: GUYS, CLEAR A SPACE HERE. 232 00:11:08,450 --> 00:11:10,191 GIVE ME A HAND. GIVE ME A HAND WITH THIS. 233 00:11:10,234 --> 00:11:13,890 Narrator: ...INVESTIGATORS FIND SOME CRITICAL EVIDENCE. 234 00:11:13,934 --> 00:11:15,109 Investigator: RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. 235 00:11:15,152 --> 00:11:16,719 Narrator: SEVERAL PIECES OF FUSELAGE 236 00:11:16,763 --> 00:11:19,461 ARE PEPPERED WITH SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING HOLES. 237 00:11:21,506 --> 00:11:25,075 Moss: THE OBVIOUS ANALOGY IS WITH A JIGSAW PUZZLE. 238 00:11:25,119 --> 00:11:28,035 YOU HAVE ALL THE PIECES, BUT THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE 239 00:11:28,078 --> 00:11:31,255 UNTIL YOU START PUTTING THEM BACK TOGETHER AGAIN 240 00:11:31,299 --> 00:11:33,736 TO FORM A PICTURE. 241 00:11:33,780 --> 00:11:34,998 Narrator: THE FINDING 242 00:11:35,042 --> 00:11:38,654 BACKS UP THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER ANALYSIS. 243 00:11:38,698 --> 00:11:40,830 Investigator: IT LOOKS LIKE WE FOUND OUR EXPLOSION. 244 00:11:40,874 --> 00:11:43,180 Narrator: THEY NOW HAVE EVEN MORE COMPELLING EVIDENCE 245 00:11:43,224 --> 00:11:46,749 OF AN EXPLOSION IN THE LEFT REAR OF THE PLANE. 246 00:11:48,316 --> 00:11:51,449 STILL SEARCHING FOR THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION, 247 00:11:51,493 --> 00:11:53,364 THEY ORDER A CHEMICAL ANALYSIS 248 00:11:53,408 --> 00:11:57,194 OF DEBRIS FROM NEAR THE BLAST AREA. 249 00:11:57,238 --> 00:12:00,720 Tom Thurman: WHAT THE LABORATORY FORENSIC CHEMIST WOULD DO 250 00:12:00,763 --> 00:12:04,158 IS TO EXTRACT THAT RESIDUE 251 00:12:04,201 --> 00:12:07,030 AND RUN IT THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTATION 252 00:12:07,074 --> 00:12:10,338 THAT WOULD TELL YOU WHETHER YOU HAVE PRESENCE 253 00:12:10,381 --> 00:12:14,037 OF UNDETONATED EXPLOSIVES. 254 00:12:14,081 --> 00:12:16,170 Narrator: THE LAB RESULTS ARE CONCLUSIVE. 255 00:12:16,213 --> 00:12:18,302 THERE IS BOMB RESIDUE ON THE WRECKAGE. 256 00:12:21,262 --> 00:12:24,395 FLIGHT 9268 WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE SKY 257 00:12:24,439 --> 00:12:26,484 BY AN ONBOARD EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. 258 00:12:28,965 --> 00:12:32,969 THE DISCOVERY EXPLAINS WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH. 259 00:12:33,013 --> 00:12:34,405 Investigator: HAVE A LOOK AT THIS. 260 00:12:34,449 --> 00:12:36,886 Narrator: BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN. 261 00:12:36,930 --> 00:12:38,235 WHO DID IT? 262 00:12:38,279 --> 00:12:40,498 AND HOW DID THE BOMB GET ON THE PLANE? 263 00:12:42,718 --> 00:12:46,678 AN ISIS ONLINE MAGAZINE PROVIDES A CLUE. 264 00:12:46,722 --> 00:12:48,028 Investigator: THEY SAY THEY PACKED THE EXPLOSIVES 265 00:12:48,071 --> 00:12:49,986 IN A SODA CAN. 266 00:12:50,030 --> 00:12:53,511 Narrator: IT CLAIMS THEY CAN TURN SODA CANS INTO BOMBS. 267 00:12:58,821 --> 00:13:00,040 LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, 268 00:13:00,083 --> 00:13:04,522 INVESTIGATORS RECONSTRUCT THE BLAST AREA. 269 00:13:04,566 --> 00:13:07,134 THEY WANT TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHERE ON BOARD 270 00:13:07,177 --> 00:13:09,353 THE BOMB WAS HIDDEN. 271 00:13:11,486 --> 00:13:14,706 Investigator: IT'S THE OVERSIZED LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT IN THE HOLD. 272 00:13:14,750 --> 00:13:16,143 Investigator: GROUND CREW, PERHAPS. 273 00:13:18,232 --> 00:13:20,234 Narrator: COULD A WORKER HAVE SMUGGLED A BOMB 274 00:13:20,277 --> 00:13:24,629 ON BOARD FLIGHT 9268? 275 00:13:24,673 --> 00:13:26,893 HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WORK AS GROUND CREW 276 00:13:26,936 --> 00:13:28,459 AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH AIRPORT. 277 00:13:28,503 --> 00:13:30,505 Investigator: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. 278 00:13:30,548 --> 00:13:31,898 Narrator: SPECIAL SECURITY CLEARANCE 279 00:13:31,941 --> 00:13:34,552 GIVES MOST OF THEM FAR GREATER ACCESS TO AIRCRAFT 280 00:13:34,596 --> 00:13:36,119 THAN ANY PASSENGER. 281 00:13:39,470 --> 00:13:42,386 INVESTIGATORS FOCUS ON THE PERSONNEL WHO WERE WORKING 282 00:13:42,430 --> 00:13:44,867 ON THE MORNING OF THE BOMBING. 283 00:13:44,911 --> 00:13:46,521 Investigator: I THINK WE MAY HAVE FOUND OUR MAN. 284 00:13:48,479 --> 00:13:50,177 Awad: ACCORDING TO AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT, 285 00:13:50,220 --> 00:13:52,788 THE ISLAMIC STATE FOUND THAT ONE OF ITS MEMBERS 286 00:13:52,832 --> 00:13:57,097 HAD A RELATIVE WORKINGIN THE SHARM EL-SHEIKH AIRPORT. 287 00:13:57,140 --> 00:13:58,968 WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT, 288 00:13:59,012 --> 00:14:01,884 THE ISLAMIC STATE WAS ABLE TO LEVERAGE THIS RELATIONSHIP 289 00:14:01,928 --> 00:14:05,714 AND COMPEL THIS RELATIVE, WHO WAS A BAGGAGE HANDLER, 290 00:14:05,757 --> 00:14:08,369 TO PUT THE BOMB IN THE PLANE. 291 00:14:11,067 --> 00:14:12,721 Narrator: THERE IS NOW AMPLE EVIDENCE 292 00:14:12,764 --> 00:14:14,505 TO SUPPORT A COMPELLING THEORY 293 00:14:14,549 --> 00:14:17,508 ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO METROJET FLIGHT 9268. 294 00:14:22,426 --> 00:14:24,124 Controller: METROJET 9268, 295 00:14:24,167 --> 00:14:26,953 CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, RUNWAY ZERO-FOUR-RIGHT. 296 00:14:29,999 --> 00:14:32,872 Narrator: AS THE RUSSIAN CREW PREPARES TO HEAD HOME, 297 00:14:32,915 --> 00:14:36,092 THEY HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT BELOW THEM IN THE CARGO HOLD 298 00:14:36,136 --> 00:14:39,095 IS A BOMB SET TO GO OFF AT CRUISING ALTITUDE. 299 00:14:39,139 --> 00:14:43,273 [BEEPING] 300 00:14:44,796 --> 00:14:47,930 [EXPLOSION] 301 00:14:54,458 --> 00:14:55,938 [GRUNTING] 302 00:14:55,982 --> 00:14:58,549 Controller: DO YOU READ ME, METROJET 9268? 303 00:14:58,593 --> 00:15:03,903 Thurman: THE PLANE DECOMPRESSES FROM THE PRESSURIZATION. 304 00:15:03,946 --> 00:15:09,778 THAT IS THE PART THAT LITERALLY RIPS THE PLANE APART. 305 00:15:09,821 --> 00:15:11,388 THERE'S NO WAY TO SURVIVE. 306 00:15:18,918 --> 00:15:21,050 Narrator: AFTER THE METROJET DISASTER, 307 00:15:21,094 --> 00:15:22,878 AIR SAFETY AUTHORITIES CALL 308 00:15:22,922 --> 00:15:25,837 FOR TIGHTER SECURITY SCREENING FOR AIRPORT STAFF 309 00:15:25,881 --> 00:15:27,143 TO REDUCE THE ODDS 310 00:15:27,187 --> 00:15:29,580 OF SUCH A CATASTROPHE EVER HAPPENING AGAIN. 311 00:15:32,279 --> 00:15:36,936 Learmount: THE METROJET EVENT WAS GAME-CHANGING 312 00:15:36,979 --> 00:15:40,287 FOR HOW SERIOUSLY WE HAVE TO TAKE SECURITY. 313 00:15:40,330 --> 00:15:44,465 IS THERE A SCREENING PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF, 314 00:15:44,508 --> 00:15:47,468 OVER A PERIOD OF TIME OF EMPLOYMENT, 315 00:15:47,511 --> 00:15:49,731 ARE NOT SUBVERTED? 316 00:15:49,774 --> 00:15:52,908 THEY SHOULD BE THROWING GREATER SECURITY RESOURCES 317 00:15:52,952 --> 00:15:55,345 IN HUMAN TERMS AND EQUIPMENT TERMS. 318 00:15:59,306 --> 00:16:00,785 Narrator: WHEN AIR CRASH INVESTIGATORS 319 00:16:00,829 --> 00:16:03,440 SUSPECT THAT A FLIGHT HAS BEEN TARGETED, 320 00:16:03,484 --> 00:16:07,444 IT CHANGES THE ENTIRE NATURE OF THE CASE. 321 00:16:07,488 --> 00:16:11,231 A CRASH SITE BECOMES A CRIME SCENE. 322 00:16:11,274 --> 00:16:12,406 Phil Derner: ANYTIME THAT THERE'S SOMETHING 323 00:16:12,449 --> 00:16:13,885 THAT'S TERROR-RELATED, 324 00:16:13,929 --> 00:16:15,539 IT'S NOT JUST SEEKING TO FIND A CAUSE, 325 00:16:15,583 --> 00:16:18,499 BUT YOU'VE ALSO GOT TO FIND OUT WHO DID IT. 326 00:16:18,542 --> 00:16:20,544 AND THE INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO SUPPORT 327 00:16:20,588 --> 00:16:23,069 THEIR THEORIES AND CAUSES WITH EVIDENCE. 328 00:16:23,112 --> 00:16:25,332 IT'S GOT TO BE AS BLACK AND WHITE AS POSSIBLE. 329 00:16:27,551 --> 00:16:30,250 Narrator: BUT WHAT IF THE EVIDENCE ISN'T CLEAR-CUT? 330 00:16:36,343 --> 00:16:39,346 First officer: KOREAN AIR 007, POSITIONED OVER NIPPI. 331 00:16:39,389 --> 00:16:44,786 ESTIMATING NOCA 1826132.0. 332 00:16:44,829 --> 00:16:47,528 Narrator: AFTER A BRIEF LAYOVER IN ANCHORAGE, 333 00:16:47,571 --> 00:16:50,052 A KOREAN AIRLINES BOEING 747 334 00:16:50,096 --> 00:16:52,141 CRUISES HIGH OVER THE NORTH PACIFIC. 335 00:16:55,449 --> 00:16:57,059 CAPTAIN CHUN BYUNG IN 336 00:16:57,103 --> 00:17:01,890 HAS NEARLY 11 YEARS' EXPERIENCE FLYING FOR KOREAN AIRLINES. 337 00:17:01,933 --> 00:17:05,067 BEFORE THAT, HE SERVED TEN YEARS IN THE KOREAN AIR FORCE. 338 00:17:06,460 --> 00:17:07,983 Chun: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 339 00:17:08,027 --> 00:17:11,334 WE'LL SOON BE SERVING BREAKFAST BEFORE WE LAND IN KIMPO, 340 00:17:11,378 --> 00:17:13,989 WHICH WILL BE IN ABOUT THREE HOURS. 341 00:17:16,470 --> 00:17:19,125 Narrator: MANY OF THE PASSENGERS PLAN TO TAKE CONNECTING FLIGHTS 342 00:17:19,168 --> 00:17:21,997 TO OTHER DESTINATIONS AFTER LANDING IN SEOUL. 343 00:17:22,041 --> 00:17:24,260 [CHIME] 344 00:17:24,304 --> 00:17:27,133 First officer: TOKYO CENTER, KOREAN AIR 007. 345 00:17:27,176 --> 00:17:30,484 Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, TOKYO. 346 00:17:30,527 --> 00:17:34,879 First officer: KOREAN AIR 007, REQUEST CLIMB THREE-FIVE-ZERO. 347 00:17:34,923 --> 00:17:36,098 Controller: ROGER. STAND BY. 348 00:17:37,752 --> 00:17:40,537 Narrator: WITH REPORTS OF STRONG WINDS ALONG THEIR ROUTE, 349 00:17:40,581 --> 00:17:42,452 THE PILOTS DECIDE TO TAKE THE PLANE 350 00:17:42,496 --> 00:17:44,150 TO A HIGHER CRUISING ALTITUDE 351 00:17:44,193 --> 00:17:47,588 IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE FUEL. 352 00:17:47,631 --> 00:17:49,111 Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, 353 00:17:49,155 --> 00:17:53,463 CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FLIGHT LEVEL THREE-FIVE-ZERO. 354 00:17:53,507 --> 00:17:55,248 First officer: ROGER, KOREAN AIR 007, 355 00:17:55,291 --> 00:17:57,902 CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FLIGHT LEVEL THREE-FIVE-ZERO. 356 00:18:04,474 --> 00:18:06,433 Narrator: THEN, WITHOUT WARNING... 357 00:18:06,476 --> 00:18:10,393 [EXPLOSION] 358 00:18:10,437 --> 00:18:12,482 First officer: WHAT HAPPENED? 359 00:18:12,526 --> 00:18:14,005 Chun: RETURN THROTTLES. 360 00:18:17,748 --> 00:18:19,750 RAPID DECOMPRESSION. 361 00:18:21,665 --> 00:18:26,017 First officer: TOKYO CENTER, KOREAN AIR 007. 362 00:18:26,061 --> 00:18:28,672 Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, TOKYO. 363 00:18:28,716 --> 00:18:29,891 First officer: UH, WE ARE EXPERIENCING 364 00:18:29,934 --> 00:18:31,327 RAPID DECOMPRESSION. 365 00:18:31,371 --> 00:18:34,678 Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, UNREADABLE, UNREADABLE. 366 00:18:34,722 --> 00:18:36,115 Flight attendant: EMERGENCY DESCENT. 367 00:18:42,338 --> 00:18:45,994 PUT THE MASK OVER YOUR NOSE AND ADJUST THE HEADBAND. 368 00:18:46,037 --> 00:18:48,518 Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, TOKYO. 369 00:18:48,562 --> 00:18:53,219 [SCREAMING] 370 00:18:53,262 --> 00:18:57,440 Narrator: KOREAN AIRLINES 007 IS PLUNGING TOWARD THE SEA. 371 00:19:01,096 --> 00:19:02,358 Controller: KOREAN AIR 007, 372 00:19:02,402 --> 00:19:07,146 RADIO CHECK ON 10048. 373 00:19:07,189 --> 00:19:09,670 Narrator: KOREAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 007 374 00:19:09,713 --> 00:19:12,499 AND ALL 269 PEOPLE ON BOARD 375 00:19:12,542 --> 00:19:13,978 HAVE VANISHED. 376 00:19:14,022 --> 00:19:15,502 Controller: KOREAN AIR 015, 377 00:19:15,545 --> 00:19:18,374 WOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO CONTACT KOREAN AIR 007, PLEASE, 378 00:19:18,418 --> 00:19:20,246 AND RELAY POSITION? 379 00:19:20,289 --> 00:19:21,464 James Oberg: WITHIN HOURS, 380 00:19:21,508 --> 00:19:23,640 THE STORY BEGAN CIRCULATING IN WASHINGTON 381 00:19:23,684 --> 00:19:25,947 THAT THE SOVIETS HAD BEEN INVOLVED. 382 00:19:28,732 --> 00:19:31,344 Narrator: AS THE WORLD WAITS FOR NEWS ABOUT THE INCIDENT, 383 00:19:31,387 --> 00:19:36,175 THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT MAKES A STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT. 384 00:19:36,218 --> 00:19:39,874 THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN BY THE SOVIETS. 385 00:19:39,917 --> 00:19:42,050 George Shultz: THE UNITED STATES REACTS WITH REVULSION 386 00:19:42,093 --> 00:19:44,139 TO THIS ATTACK. 387 00:19:44,183 --> 00:19:47,534 LOSS OF LIFE APPEARS TO BE HEAVY. 388 00:19:47,577 --> 00:19:52,408 WE CAN SEE NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER FOR THIS APPALLING ACT. 389 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,456 Narrator: SOVIET OFFICIALS ADMIT A FIGHTER JET 390 00:19:56,499 --> 00:20:00,460 DID, IN FACT, SHOOT DOWN THE PLANE. 391 00:20:00,503 --> 00:20:04,681 BUT THEY INSIST THE ATTACK WAS JUSTIFIED. 392 00:20:04,725 --> 00:20:07,162 Oberg: THE SOVIET VIEW WAS THAT IT WAS ON A SPY MISSION, 393 00:20:07,206 --> 00:20:09,686 PERHAPS CARRYING INSTRUMENTS, CAMERAS, RECORDERS, 394 00:20:09,730 --> 00:20:11,514 AND SO FORTH. 395 00:20:13,299 --> 00:20:16,606 Narrator: THE SOVIET UNION CLAIMS FLIGHT 007 396 00:20:16,650 --> 00:20:18,521 ENTERED HIGHLY RESTRICTED AIRSPACE 397 00:20:18,565 --> 00:20:20,828 UNDER ORDERS FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. 398 00:20:23,613 --> 00:20:26,834 TENSIONS BETWEEN THE SOVIETS AND THE WEST RATCHET UP. 399 00:20:29,315 --> 00:20:31,186 THE UNITED NATIONS CALLS 400 00:20:31,230 --> 00:20:33,449 ON THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION 401 00:20:33,493 --> 00:20:35,669 AND ITS INVESTIGATORS TO FIND ANSWERS. 402 00:20:38,106 --> 00:20:42,153 CAJ FROSTELL IS THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR. 403 00:20:42,197 --> 00:20:45,505 Caj Frostell: ICAO OFFERS A NEUTRAL INVESTIGATION, 404 00:20:45,548 --> 00:20:49,291 AN INVESTIGATION TEAM THAT CAN DEAL WITH ALL PARTIES INVOLVED 405 00:20:49,335 --> 00:20:52,120 IN A NEUTRAL WAY. 406 00:20:52,163 --> 00:20:54,644 Narrator: KAL 007'S FLIGHT PLAN 407 00:20:54,688 --> 00:20:57,952 SHOULD HAVE KEPT IT WELL AWAY FROM SOVIET AIRSPACE. 408 00:20:57,995 --> 00:21:02,217 EITHER IT WAS SHOT DOWN OVER INTERNATIONAL WATERS, 409 00:21:02,261 --> 00:21:05,699 OR THE FLIGHT HAD STRAYED OFF COURSE. 410 00:21:05,742 --> 00:21:07,004 FIGURING OUT WHICH 411 00:21:07,048 --> 00:21:11,182 IS THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR INVESTIGATORS. 412 00:21:11,226 --> 00:21:13,794 BUT THEY FACE A HUGE OBSTACLE. 413 00:21:13,837 --> 00:21:16,536 THE WRECKAGE IS LOST IN THE SEA OF JAPAN 414 00:21:16,579 --> 00:21:21,410 AND THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES ARE MISSING. 415 00:21:21,454 --> 00:21:22,933 Frostell: THE LACK OF FLIGHT RECORDERS, 416 00:21:22,977 --> 00:21:25,501 DATA RECORDER, COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER, 417 00:21:25,545 --> 00:21:30,245 THAT'S SIGNIFICANT IN AN INVESTIGATION. 418 00:21:30,289 --> 00:21:32,465 Narrator: FROSTELL GETS INFORMATION 419 00:21:32,508 --> 00:21:34,423 FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE-- 420 00:21:34,467 --> 00:21:37,992 THE U.S. MILITARY. 421 00:21:38,035 --> 00:21:40,603 IN A RARE MOVE, U.S. OFFICIALS SHARE 422 00:21:40,647 --> 00:21:43,171 HIGHLY CLASSIFIED SURVEILLANCE RADAR DATA 423 00:21:43,214 --> 00:21:47,697 FROM THE NIGHT THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN. 424 00:21:47,741 --> 00:21:52,615 WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT KAL 007 IS STUNNING. 425 00:21:52,659 --> 00:21:54,356 TOP SECRET RADAR DATA 426 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,055 SHOWS THE PLANE HAD DRIFTED 350 MILES NORTH 427 00:21:58,099 --> 00:21:59,143 OF WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 428 00:21:59,187 --> 00:22:02,799 WHEN IT WAS SHOT DOWN. 429 00:22:02,843 --> 00:22:05,889 THE SOVIETS WERE TELLING THE TRUTH. 430 00:22:05,933 --> 00:22:09,545 Frostell: AND THEN IT BECOMES A QUESTION OF DETERMINING 431 00:22:09,589 --> 00:22:13,462 WHY WAS IT OFF COURSE THAT MUCH? 432 00:22:13,506 --> 00:22:15,203 Narrator: TO FIND THE ANSWER, 433 00:22:15,246 --> 00:22:19,468 INVESTIGATORS RUN THE ROUTE THROUGH A FLIGHT SIMULATOR. 434 00:22:19,512 --> 00:22:22,253 Investigator: LET'S TRY THE FLIGHT IN HEADING MODE NOW. 435 00:22:22,297 --> 00:22:23,646 Narrator: THEY WONDER 436 00:22:23,690 --> 00:22:25,518 IF THE PILOTS INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED THE SETTINGS 437 00:22:25,561 --> 00:22:27,389 ON THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, 438 00:22:27,433 --> 00:22:32,394 TAKING THE PLANE OVER THE SOVIET UNION. 439 00:22:32,438 --> 00:22:33,743 A SECOND POSSIBILITY 440 00:22:33,787 --> 00:22:36,398 IS THAT AFTER PROGRAMMING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, 441 00:22:36,442 --> 00:22:38,966 THE CREW MAY HAVE FAILED TO TURN IT ON. 442 00:22:41,490 --> 00:22:43,884 Frostell: AFTER TAKEOFF FROM ANCHORAGE, 443 00:22:43,927 --> 00:22:48,105 THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE USED A CONSTANT MAGNETIC HEADING 444 00:22:48,149 --> 00:22:51,152 TO GET TO THE ROUTE. 445 00:22:51,195 --> 00:22:56,505 AND IF IT WAS FORGOTTEN IN THAT CONSTANT MAGNETIC HEADING, 446 00:22:56,549 --> 00:22:59,378 IT WOULD CONTINUE OVER SOVIET AIRSPACE. 447 00:23:01,902 --> 00:23:03,425 Narrator: THE MAGNETIC HEADING 448 00:23:03,469 --> 00:23:06,602 WOULD HAVE KEPT THE PLANE FLYING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION 449 00:23:06,646 --> 00:23:09,388 BUT ALONG A VERY DIFFERENT ROUTE THAN THE ONE PLANNED. 450 00:23:11,651 --> 00:23:13,217 AT THIS POINT, 451 00:23:13,261 --> 00:23:18,875 FROSTELL CAN ONLY SPECULATE WHY FLIGHT 007 WAS OFF COURSE. 452 00:23:18,919 --> 00:23:21,182 BUT WHAT'S EVEN HARDER TO UNDERSTAND 453 00:23:21,225 --> 00:23:24,707 IS WHY THE SOVIET UNION WOULD RISK STARTING A WAR 454 00:23:24,751 --> 00:23:25,882 BY SHOOTING IT DOWN. 455 00:23:25,926 --> 00:23:28,276 Man: APPROACH TARGET AND DESTROY. 456 00:23:28,319 --> 00:23:29,886 Oberg: THE SOVIETS RESORTED TO DEADLY FORCE 457 00:23:29,930 --> 00:23:32,541 TO PUNISH THIS INTRUDER. 458 00:23:32,585 --> 00:23:35,457 IT'S LIKE SHOOTING THE PAPERBOY IN YOUR FRONT YARD AT NIGHT 459 00:23:35,501 --> 00:23:38,591 BECAUSE YOU THINK HE MIGHT BE BREAKING INTO YOUR HOUSE. 460 00:23:38,634 --> 00:23:42,812 Narrator: WHAT COULD PROMPT SUCH A RESPONSE FROM THE SOVIETS? 461 00:23:42,856 --> 00:23:45,815 INVESTIGATORS GET THEIR ANSWER FROM THE U.S. MILITARY. 462 00:23:48,427 --> 00:23:50,167 ALTHOUGH FLIGHT 007 463 00:23:50,211 --> 00:23:53,997 MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ON A SPY MISSION THAT NIGHT, 464 00:23:54,041 --> 00:23:55,564 ANOTHER PLANE WAS-- 465 00:23:55,608 --> 00:23:59,916 A U.S. AIR FORCE RC-135. 466 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:02,005 Oberg: THEY WERE TRACKING AN RC-135, 467 00:24:02,049 --> 00:24:05,008 WHICH WAS DOING VERY SLOW FIGURE-EIGHTS 468 00:24:05,052 --> 00:24:06,053 OFF THE COAST, 469 00:24:06,096 --> 00:24:07,446 WITH ITS OWN LISTENING DEVICES 470 00:24:07,489 --> 00:24:10,797 WAITING FOR A SOVIET MISSILE TEST. 471 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,495 Narrator: THE SPY PLANE WAS NEAR THE SOVIET BORDER 472 00:24:13,539 --> 00:24:17,543 IN THE PATH OF THE KAL JETLINER. 473 00:24:17,586 --> 00:24:18,935 WHEN THEIR PATHS CROSSED, 474 00:24:18,979 --> 00:24:21,285 THE TWO PLANES MAY HAVE BEEN INDISTINGUISHABLE 475 00:24:21,329 --> 00:24:22,983 ON SOVIET RADAR. 476 00:24:24,767 --> 00:24:26,377 Oberg: ALONG CAME THIS INTRUDER, 477 00:24:26,421 --> 00:24:28,728 AND THEY JUST FELL INTO THE PATTERNS 478 00:24:28,771 --> 00:24:31,731 THAT THEY HAD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR SUCH AN INTRUDER. 479 00:24:35,648 --> 00:24:38,781 Narrator: THE ORDER WAS GIVEN TO SHOOT DOWN THE INTRUDER. 480 00:24:43,046 --> 00:24:45,396 Man: GIVE WARNING BURST WITH CANNON. 481 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,965 [GUNFIRE] 482 00:24:49,009 --> 00:24:52,534 Narrator: THE WARNING SHOTS GO UNNOTICED. 483 00:24:52,578 --> 00:24:54,667 Man: TAKE UP POSITION FOR ATTACK. 484 00:24:59,323 --> 00:25:01,935 APPROACH TARGET AND DESTROY. 485 00:25:01,978 --> 00:25:04,415 Pilot: ROGER. LOCKED ON ALREADY. 486 00:25:04,459 --> 00:25:06,722 EXECUTED LAUNCH. 487 00:25:06,766 --> 00:25:08,768 Narrator: DID THE RUSSIAN FIGHTER PILOT 488 00:25:08,811 --> 00:25:11,553 GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THE TARGET WITH HIS OWN EYES? 489 00:25:11,597 --> 00:25:14,338 [EXPLOSION] 490 00:25:14,382 --> 00:25:17,603 DID HE KNOW IT WAS A PASSENGER JET? 491 00:25:17,646 --> 00:25:19,213 Pilot: TARGET IS DESTROYED. 492 00:25:24,392 --> 00:25:25,524 Narrator: THE KEY TO THIS MYSTERY 493 00:25:25,567 --> 00:25:28,701 LIES INSIDE THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES, 494 00:25:28,744 --> 00:25:31,530 WHICH THEY ASSUME ARE LOST FOREVER BENEATH THE SEA. 495 00:25:34,924 --> 00:25:37,579 IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING THE KAL DISASTER, 496 00:25:37,623 --> 00:25:40,321 WRECKAGE AND UNIDENTIFIABLE HUMAN REMAINS 497 00:25:40,364 --> 00:25:42,932 WASH ASHORE IN NORTHERN JAPAN. 498 00:25:46,153 --> 00:25:49,548 THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE PLANE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. 499 00:25:53,464 --> 00:25:55,597 INVESTIGATORS HAVE INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE 500 00:25:55,641 --> 00:25:58,644 TO DETERMINE WHY THE PLANE VEERED OFF COURSE. 501 00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:03,562 BUT SOVIET OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN HIDING SOMETHING. 502 00:26:05,781 --> 00:26:07,740 ONE MONTH AFTER THE INCIDENT, 503 00:26:07,783 --> 00:26:10,699 NOT ONLY DID THEY FIND THE WRECKAGE, 504 00:26:10,743 --> 00:26:14,703 THEY ALSO FOUND THE ALL-IMPORTANT BLACK BOXES 505 00:26:14,747 --> 00:26:19,403 AND KEPT THAT A SECRET FOR NEARLY TEN YEARS. 506 00:26:19,447 --> 00:26:20,840 Reporter: TONIGHT IN BERLIN, 507 00:26:20,883 --> 00:26:23,103 THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO GERMANYS IS BECOMING... 508 00:26:23,146 --> 00:26:26,715 Narrator: AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION IN 1991, 509 00:26:26,759 --> 00:26:28,064 THE NEW RUSSIAN ADMINISTRATION 510 00:26:28,108 --> 00:26:32,025 DECIDES TO GO PUBLIC ON THE INCIDENT. 511 00:26:32,068 --> 00:26:35,376 Frostell: I WAS APPROACHED BY A KGB GENERAL, 512 00:26:35,419 --> 00:26:38,771 AND HE TOLD ME THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ME, 513 00:26:38,814 --> 00:26:42,513 BUT I HAVE HAD THE RECORDERS FOR TEN YEARS. 514 00:26:42,557 --> 00:26:45,299 I HAD THEM IN THE SAFE IN MY OFFICE. 515 00:26:45,342 --> 00:26:47,780 I KNEW IT WAS A BIG INTERNATIONAL SECRET. 516 00:26:47,823 --> 00:26:49,477 IT BOTHERED ME TREMENDOUSLY. 517 00:26:51,044 --> 00:26:52,567 Narrator: CAJ FROSTELL 518 00:26:52,611 --> 00:26:57,354 IS EAGER TO LISTEN TO THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER. 519 00:26:57,398 --> 00:26:59,530 Frostell: SO I KNEW THEY'RE GONNA TELL ME SOMETHING. 520 00:26:59,574 --> 00:27:03,099 I WANTED TO HAVE THE FACTS FROM THE TAPES. 521 00:27:03,143 --> 00:27:04,971 Chun: WHAT? 522 00:27:05,014 --> 00:27:06,755 IT'S ALREADY TIME FOR BREAKFAST? 523 00:27:06,799 --> 00:27:08,583 First officer: YOU WANT TO EAT NOW? 524 00:27:08,627 --> 00:27:10,150 Narrator: BUT ALL THE INVESTIGATORS HEAR 525 00:27:10,193 --> 00:27:12,979 IS IDLE BANTER FROM THE CREW; 526 00:27:13,022 --> 00:27:16,852 NOTHING TO SUGGEST IT'S A SPY PLANE. 527 00:27:16,896 --> 00:27:17,853 First officer: I HEARD THERE'S A CURRENCY EXCHANGE 528 00:27:17,897 --> 00:27:19,072 AT THE AIRPORT. 529 00:27:19,115 --> 00:27:21,248 Chun: WHAT KIND OF MONEY? 530 00:27:21,291 --> 00:27:22,858 First officer: DOLLARS TO KOREAN MONEY. 531 00:27:24,251 --> 00:27:26,601 Oberg: JUST A TOTALLY ROUTINE CONVERSATION. 532 00:27:26,645 --> 00:27:29,082 AND EITHER THESE GUYS ARE THE MOST COLD-BLOODED ACTORS 533 00:27:29,125 --> 00:27:30,692 AND FALSIFIERS EVER, 534 00:27:30,736 --> 00:27:33,086 OR THEY REALLY WERE TOTALLYCLUELESS ABOUT WHERE THEY WERE. 535 00:27:33,129 --> 00:27:35,218 SADLY, I THINK THE LATTER'S THE CASE. 536 00:27:36,959 --> 00:27:39,919 Narrator: FROSTELL FINALLY FINDS THE DEFINITIVE ANSWER 537 00:27:39,962 --> 00:27:45,141 WHEN HE ANALYZES THE INFORMATION FROM THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER. 538 00:27:45,185 --> 00:27:46,621 Frostell: THE DATA REVEALED 539 00:27:46,665 --> 00:27:49,493 THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON CONSTANT MAGNETIC HEADING 540 00:27:49,537 --> 00:27:52,409 FROM SOON AFTER TAKEOFF FROM ANCHORAGE TO... 541 00:27:52,453 --> 00:27:53,759 TO THE END. 542 00:27:55,325 --> 00:27:58,024 Narrator: THE CREW OF KAL 007 543 00:27:58,067 --> 00:28:00,156 NEVER SWITCHED TO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM 544 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,811 THAT WOULD HAVE KEPT THEM OUT OF SOVIET AIRSPACE. 545 00:28:05,118 --> 00:28:08,687 IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL ERROR THAT CAUSES A HORRIFIC TRAGEDY. 546 00:28:13,300 --> 00:28:14,736 IN 1993, 547 00:28:14,780 --> 00:28:17,783 CAJ FROSTELL HAS THE EVIDENCE THAT HE SORELY LACKED 548 00:28:17,826 --> 00:28:21,569 WHEN HE ISSUED HIS FIRST REPORT. 549 00:28:21,612 --> 00:28:24,746 NOW HE CAN PROVE HOW THE KOREAN PILOTS BLUNDERED 550 00:28:24,790 --> 00:28:27,923 AND ENDED UP OFF COURSE. 551 00:28:27,967 --> 00:28:32,188 THE DESTRUCTION OF FLIGHT 007 IS RULED AN ACCIDENT. 552 00:28:34,451 --> 00:28:36,932 FROSTELL RECOMMENDS THAT ALL PASSENGER PLANES 553 00:28:36,976 --> 00:28:39,152 BE EQUIPPED WITH A CLEAR INDICATOR 554 00:28:39,195 --> 00:28:41,720 THAT THE AUTOPILOT IS IN HEADING MODE. 555 00:28:44,113 --> 00:28:48,117 Oberg: THE TRAGEDY OF 007 IS THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN, 556 00:28:48,161 --> 00:28:49,640 IT WAS NOT INEVITABLE. 557 00:28:49,684 --> 00:28:51,860 Pilot: TARGET IS DESTROYED. 558 00:28:51,904 --> 00:28:53,862 Oberg: IT WAS A SERIES OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS, 559 00:28:53,906 --> 00:28:57,648 A SERIES OF BAD DECISIONS THAT HAD BEEN PRIMED AHEAD OF TIME. 560 00:29:01,043 --> 00:29:03,437 Narrator: STALLED BY COLD WAR TENSIONS, 561 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,744 IT TAKES INVESTIGATORS MORE THAN A DECADE 562 00:29:05,787 --> 00:29:08,485 TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF FLIGHT 007. 563 00:29:12,098 --> 00:29:14,796 Robert Benzon: WHEN YOU HAVE EITHER A BOMBING 564 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:16,580 OR A SHOOT-DOWN, 565 00:29:16,624 --> 00:29:19,801 UH, POLITICS BEGINS TO PLAY A LARGE PORTION 566 00:29:19,845 --> 00:29:22,891 OF WHAT DRIVES AN INVESTIGATION, 567 00:29:22,935 --> 00:29:28,201 AND SOMETIMES IT COMPLICATES THE NEUTRALITY OF ANY GROUP 568 00:29:28,244 --> 00:29:30,769 TRYING TO INVESTIGATE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. 569 00:29:39,342 --> 00:29:40,866 Captain: I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING HOME 570 00:29:40,909 --> 00:29:42,998 AND SEEING THE KIDS. 571 00:29:43,042 --> 00:29:44,870 First officer: AND EATING A PROPER HOME-COOKED MEAL. 572 00:29:46,828 --> 00:29:49,570 Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17 573 00:29:49,613 --> 00:29:52,660 IS 2 1/2 HOURS INTO AN 11 1/2-HOUR TRIP 574 00:29:52,703 --> 00:29:54,749 FROM AMSTERDAM TO KUALA LUMPUR. 575 00:29:59,493 --> 00:30:03,802 THE CABIN IS FILLED TO CAPACITY, WITH 283 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. 576 00:30:05,891 --> 00:30:06,848 Flight attendant: ALL DONE? 577 00:30:06,892 --> 00:30:08,067 Passenger: YEAH. 578 00:30:08,110 --> 00:30:09,459 ARE YOU BRINGING THE DRINK CART AGAIN SOON? 579 00:30:09,503 --> 00:30:10,809 Flight attendant: OF COURSE. WHAT CAN I GET YOU? 580 00:30:10,852 --> 00:30:13,072 Passenger: I'LL HAVE A BEER, PLEASE. 581 00:30:13,115 --> 00:30:14,421 Narrator: MOST ARE DUTCH TOURISTS 582 00:30:14,464 --> 00:30:16,815 PLANNING TO CONNECT TO VACATION SPOTS 583 00:30:16,858 --> 00:30:20,383 IN AUSTRALIA, THAILAND, AND INDONESIA. 584 00:30:20,427 --> 00:30:22,864 J.F. Joseph: EUROPEAN TRAVELERS ON HOLIDAY 585 00:30:22,908 --> 00:30:24,213 WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PREPONDERANCE 586 00:30:24,257 --> 00:30:25,475 OF THE FOLKS ON BOARD. 587 00:30:25,519 --> 00:30:27,434 CERTAINLY THERE WERE SOME BUSINESS PEOPLE, 588 00:30:27,477 --> 00:30:29,653 BUT FOR THE LION'S SHARE OF THE PASSENGERS 589 00:30:29,697 --> 00:30:31,568 IT WAS PEOPLE ON VACATION. 590 00:30:33,092 --> 00:30:35,790 Narrator: MH-17'S SCHEDULED FLIGHT PATH 591 00:30:35,834 --> 00:30:39,272 TAKES IT ACROSS EASTERN EUROPE, CENTRAL ASIA, 592 00:30:39,315 --> 00:30:41,100 AND THE BAY OF BENGAL 593 00:30:41,143 --> 00:30:42,623 BEFORE REACHING MALAYSIA'S CAPITAL, 594 00:30:42,666 --> 00:30:45,452 KUALA LUMPUR. 595 00:30:45,495 --> 00:30:47,976 BUT THEY'RE RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND SCHEDULE TODAY. 596 00:30:51,327 --> 00:30:52,851 Captain: MALAYSIAN 17, 597 00:30:52,894 --> 00:30:56,898 IS LEVEL THREE-FOUR-ZERO NON-STANDARD AVAILABLE? 598 00:30:56,942 --> 00:30:59,335 Narrator: NOW FLYING IN UKRAINIAN AIRSPACE, 599 00:30:59,379 --> 00:31:02,556 THE PILOTS REQUEST PERMISSION TO CLIMB A THOUSAND FEET 600 00:31:02,599 --> 00:31:04,645 WHERE THEY CAN FLY FASTER TO MAKE UP TIME. 601 00:31:09,258 --> 00:31:11,652 THE SKIES OVER THE UKRAINE ARE BUSY TODAY. 602 00:31:11,695 --> 00:31:13,088 THE LOCAL CONTROLLER 603 00:31:13,132 --> 00:31:16,265 IS NOT ABLE TO GRANT THE MALAYSIAN PILOT'S REQUEST. 604 00:31:18,398 --> 00:31:19,878 Controller: MALAYSIA 17, 605 00:31:19,921 --> 00:31:22,924 THREE-FOUR-ZERO IS NOT AVAILABLE. 606 00:31:22,968 --> 00:31:25,927 Captain: ROGER, MAINTAIN THREE-THREE-ZERO. 607 00:31:25,971 --> 00:31:28,843 First officer: WELL, WE TRIED. 608 00:31:28,887 --> 00:31:30,758 Captain: WE'LL MAKE IT UP OVER RUSSIA. 609 00:31:30,801 --> 00:31:33,152 LOOKS LIKE CLEAR SAILING FROM HERE. 610 00:31:34,849 --> 00:31:37,373 Narrator: THOUGH THE UKRAINE HAS ACCUSED RUSSIA 611 00:31:37,417 --> 00:31:40,942 OF SUPPORTING ARMED SEPARATISTS IN EASTERN UKRAINE... 612 00:31:40,986 --> 00:31:42,030 [PHONE RINGS] 613 00:31:42,074 --> 00:31:43,205 BOTH NATIONS ARE STILL COOPERATING 614 00:31:43,249 --> 00:31:46,730 WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL AVIATION. 615 00:31:46,774 --> 00:31:49,168 Controller: TO POINT ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA? 616 00:31:49,211 --> 00:31:50,996 PERFECT. THANK YOU. 617 00:31:51,039 --> 00:31:52,301 Narrator: THE UKRAINIAN CONTROLLER 618 00:31:52,345 --> 00:31:54,956 GETS WORD FROM ITS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART. 619 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:59,178 MH-17 IS CLEARED TO THE NEXT RADAR POINT. 620 00:31:59,221 --> 00:32:00,483 Controller: MALAYSIA 17, 621 00:32:00,527 --> 00:32:04,096 PROCEED DIRECT TO POINT ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA. 622 00:32:04,139 --> 00:32:05,749 Captain: ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA, 623 00:32:05,793 --> 00:32:08,709 MALAYSIAN 17. 624 00:32:08,752 --> 00:32:10,363 WE'RE CLEAR TO RUSSIA. 625 00:32:13,366 --> 00:32:14,976 Joseph: THE CREW HAD JUST TRANSMITTED 626 00:32:15,020 --> 00:32:17,805 A NOMINAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TRANSMISSION. 627 00:32:17,848 --> 00:32:19,546 THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY THREAT AT THAT POINT. 628 00:32:19,589 --> 00:32:21,330 IT WAS ROUTINE AND MUNDANE. 629 00:32:27,641 --> 00:32:30,687 Controller: MALAYSIA 17, DNIPRO RADAR, PLEASE COME IN. 630 00:32:34,865 --> 00:32:37,607 Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17 631 00:32:37,651 --> 00:32:39,435 HAS FALLEN OFF RADAR. 632 00:32:41,611 --> 00:32:45,180 Controller: MALAYSIA 17, DNIPRO RADAR HERE, 633 00:32:45,224 --> 00:32:47,791 PLEASE COME IN. 634 00:32:47,835 --> 00:32:49,010 Narrator: THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER 635 00:32:49,054 --> 00:32:51,752 MAKES A CALL TO REPORT THE DISAPPEARANCE. 636 00:32:53,058 --> 00:32:57,018 AROUND THE WORLD, REACTION IS SWIFT. 637 00:32:57,062 --> 00:33:00,587 President Obama: NEARLY 300 INNOCENT LIVES WERE TAKEN-- 638 00:33:00,630 --> 00:33:04,025 MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN 639 00:33:04,069 --> 00:33:07,202 WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE. 640 00:33:07,246 --> 00:33:11,902 THEIR DEATHS ARE A OUTRAGE OF UNSPEAKABLE PROPORTIONS. 641 00:33:16,559 --> 00:33:18,909 Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES MH-17 642 00:33:18,953 --> 00:33:21,956 HAS CRASHED IN EASTERN UKRAINE. 643 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:23,740 President Obama: EVIDENCE INDICATES 644 00:33:23,784 --> 00:33:27,179 THAT THE PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN BY A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE 645 00:33:27,222 --> 00:33:28,571 THAT WAS LAUNCHED FROM AN AREA 646 00:33:28,615 --> 00:33:31,052 THAT IS CONTROLLED BY RUSSIAN-BACKED SEPARATISTS 647 00:33:31,096 --> 00:33:34,229 INSIDE OF UKRAINE. 648 00:33:34,273 --> 00:33:35,535 Narrator: THE DUTCH SAFETY BOARD 649 00:33:35,578 --> 00:33:38,016 HAS ALREADY MOBILIZED AN AIR ACCIDENT TEAM. 650 00:33:39,887 --> 00:33:42,107 WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD 651 00:33:42,150 --> 00:33:44,065 THAT THE DOWNING WAS INTENTIONAL, 652 00:33:44,109 --> 00:33:45,893 AIR CRASH INVESTIGATORS... 653 00:33:45,936 --> 00:33:47,286 Man: HELLO? 654 00:33:47,329 --> 00:33:49,157 Narrator: ...HAVE INHERITED A DIFFICULT SITUATION. 655 00:33:50,332 --> 00:33:53,074 DESPITE IMMEDIATE SPECULATION, 656 00:33:53,118 --> 00:33:55,816 THERE'S STILL NO EVIDENCE CONFIRMING WHERE IT CAME FROM 657 00:33:55,859 --> 00:33:57,470 AND WHO FIRED IT. 658 00:34:00,125 --> 00:34:01,778 THEY NEED PROOF. 659 00:34:01,822 --> 00:34:07,175 BUT MH-17 CRASHED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE DISPUTED AREA, 660 00:34:07,219 --> 00:34:10,309 IN THE REGION OF DONETSK. 661 00:34:10,352 --> 00:34:13,921 INVESTIGATORS CAN'T GET ACCESS TO THE WRECKAGE. 662 00:34:13,964 --> 00:34:17,403 Ron Smits: I'M SORRY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 663 00:34:17,446 --> 00:34:19,057 WHAT'S IMPOSSIBLE? 664 00:34:23,322 --> 00:34:25,019 Smits, translated: IT'S IMPORTANT 665 00:34:25,063 --> 00:34:28,022 THAT THE PIECES OF WRECKAGE REMAIN UNDISTURBED. 666 00:34:28,066 --> 00:34:30,764 THEY ARE SILENT WITNESSES. 667 00:34:30,807 --> 00:34:33,680 PIECES OF WRECKAGE TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED. 668 00:34:33,723 --> 00:34:36,117 A TOTAL PICTURE OF ALL THE WRECKAGE TOGETHER 669 00:34:36,161 --> 00:34:38,250 GIVES YOU A TOTAL STORY. 670 00:34:45,431 --> 00:34:49,565 Man: BEST BET, IT WAS SHOT DOWN. 671 00:34:49,609 --> 00:34:52,916 PROVING IT WITHOUT ANY WRECKAGE IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. 672 00:34:55,310 --> 00:34:57,225 Kas Beumkes: DURING A NORMAL INVESTIGATION, 673 00:34:57,269 --> 00:34:58,748 ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU DO 674 00:34:58,792 --> 00:35:01,795 IS THE SECURITY OF THE WRECKAGE AREA. 675 00:35:01,838 --> 00:35:03,927 AND THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE HERE. 676 00:35:03,971 --> 00:35:06,321 Smits: HOW CAN WE CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION 677 00:35:06,365 --> 00:35:07,627 WITHOUT SEEING THE WRECKAGE? 678 00:35:11,674 --> 00:35:14,199 Beumkes: LET'S ZOOM IN TO THE CRASH AREA. 679 00:35:14,242 --> 00:35:17,332 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO FIGURE OUT 680 00:35:17,376 --> 00:35:22,468 WHY MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17 CRASHED. 681 00:35:22,511 --> 00:35:24,165 Man: WHAT DO WE WANT? Crowd: JUSTICE! 682 00:35:24,209 --> 00:35:25,688 Man: WHAT DO WE WANT? Crowd: JUSTICE! 683 00:35:25,732 --> 00:35:27,603 Man: WHAT DO WE WANT? Crowd: JUSTICE! 684 00:35:27,647 --> 00:35:30,432 Joseph: THE FAMILIES THAT LOST OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, 685 00:35:30,476 --> 00:35:32,521 CREW MEMBERS THAT WERE ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT, 686 00:35:32,565 --> 00:35:34,567 THEY WANT SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION. 687 00:35:34,610 --> 00:35:37,396 THEY WANT SOMETHING TO HELP THEMPUT THIS ISSUE TO REST. 688 00:35:40,877 --> 00:35:45,317 Narrator: A FEW DAYS LATER, THE INVESTIGATION GETS A BREAK. 689 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:49,538 MILITANTS IN UKRAINE HAVE RECOVERED THE BLACK BOXES 690 00:35:49,582 --> 00:35:52,454 AND HANDED THEM OVER TO MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES. 691 00:35:52,498 --> 00:35:55,544 IT'S A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT. 692 00:35:55,588 --> 00:35:58,852 ANALYSIS OF THE COCKPIT RECORDINGS AND THE FLIGHT DATA 693 00:35:58,895 --> 00:36:01,768 REVEALS THAT THE FLIGHT WAS PROCEEDING NORMALLY. 694 00:36:01,811 --> 00:36:03,639 Captain: ROMEO-NOVEMBER-DELTA, 695 00:36:03,683 --> 00:36:05,119 MALAYSIAN 17. 696 00:36:05,163 --> 00:36:07,513 Narrator: THEN THE RECORDING ENDS ABRUPTLY. 697 00:36:07,556 --> 00:36:09,036 Captain: WE'RE CLEAR TO RUSSIA. 698 00:36:12,822 --> 00:36:15,042 Beumkes: SO NOT A SINGLE WARNING. 699 00:36:15,085 --> 00:36:19,481 EVERYTHING IS FINE, AND THEN IT, IT JUST STOPS. 700 00:36:19,525 --> 00:36:23,398 Joseph: WITH THE INSTANTANEOUS AND COMBINED FAILURE 701 00:36:23,442 --> 00:36:25,226 OF BOTH THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER 702 00:36:25,270 --> 00:36:26,836 AND THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER, 703 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:30,057 THAT'S INDICATIVE OF LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER SIMULTANEOUSLY, 704 00:36:30,100 --> 00:36:34,496 WHICH IS ANALOGOUS GENERALLY WITH A CATASTROPHIC EVENT. 705 00:36:34,540 --> 00:36:35,889 Beumkes: PLAY IT AGAIN. 706 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,110 Narrator: BUT THERE'S MORE ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER 707 00:36:40,154 --> 00:36:42,461 THAT INTERESTS INVESTIGATORS. 708 00:36:42,504 --> 00:36:43,679 Captain: WE'RE CLEAR TO RUSSIA. 709 00:36:43,723 --> 00:36:46,334 Beumkes: DO YOU HEAR THAT? 710 00:36:46,378 --> 00:36:48,467 Narrator: THEY DISCOVER TWO SOUND PEAKS 711 00:36:48,510 --> 00:36:50,991 JUST BEFORE THE RECORDING STOPS. 712 00:36:52,862 --> 00:36:54,560 Beumkes: CAN YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM? 713 00:36:57,345 --> 00:36:59,173 Narrator: THE COCKPIT HAS FOUR MICROPHONES. 714 00:36:59,217 --> 00:37:01,262 INVESTIGATORS HOPE TO TRIANGULATE 715 00:37:01,306 --> 00:37:03,046 THE LOCATION OF THE SOUND 716 00:37:03,090 --> 00:37:06,136 BY MEASURING WHEN THE SPIKES HIT EACH MICROPHONE. 717 00:37:11,446 --> 00:37:16,103 Beumkes: IT HIT THE CAPTAIN'S MIKE FIRST, 718 00:37:16,146 --> 00:37:20,238 THEN MOVED BACK THROUGH THE COCKPIT. 719 00:37:20,281 --> 00:37:24,720 IT LOOKS LIKE THE SOUND CAME FROM IN FRONT OF THE CAPTAIN 720 00:37:24,764 --> 00:37:26,418 OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. 721 00:37:29,072 --> 00:37:30,117 Beumkes: THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT 722 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:33,207 BECAUSE IT WAS ONE CLEAR INDICATION 723 00:37:33,251 --> 00:37:35,165 THAT, UM, THE SOURCE 724 00:37:35,209 --> 00:37:38,430 OF THE THING THAT HAPPENED TO THIS AIRPLANE 725 00:37:38,473 --> 00:37:40,040 CAME FROM OUTSIDE. 726 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:42,999 Beumkes: THAT SEALS IT. 727 00:37:43,043 --> 00:37:46,307 AN EXPLOSION OUTSIDE MEANS IT MUST HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN. 728 00:37:46,351 --> 00:37:48,440 SHOT DOWN BY WHAT? 729 00:37:48,483 --> 00:37:50,224 WE NEED THAT WRECKAGE. 730 00:37:55,708 --> 00:37:57,013 Narrator: FINALLY, 731 00:37:57,057 --> 00:38:00,278 ALMOST FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH OF MH-17... 732 00:38:00,321 --> 00:38:01,801 Smits: SMITS HERE. 733 00:38:01,844 --> 00:38:04,673 Narrator: ...INVESTIGATORS GET THE BREAK THEY NEED. 734 00:38:04,717 --> 00:38:06,762 Smits: THAT IS WONDERFUL NEWS. 735 00:38:06,806 --> 00:38:10,070 Narrator: PERMISSION TO TRAVEL TO EASTERN UKRAINE. 736 00:38:10,113 --> 00:38:12,072 Smits: THANK YOU. 737 00:38:12,115 --> 00:38:14,074 WE'RE A GO. 738 00:38:14,117 --> 00:38:15,771 WE'RE ALLOWED IN! 739 00:38:15,815 --> 00:38:17,686 FOR REAL THIS TIME. 740 00:38:22,996 --> 00:38:24,867 Soldier: STAY AWAY FROM OVER THERE. 741 00:38:24,911 --> 00:38:26,391 THERE ARE LAND MINES. 742 00:38:28,262 --> 00:38:30,133 Narrator: WHEN DUTCH INVESTIGATORS GET ACCESS 743 00:38:30,177 --> 00:38:34,050 TO THE WRECKAGE SITES OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH-17, 744 00:38:34,094 --> 00:38:35,138 THEY HAVE TO WORK FAST. 745 00:38:35,182 --> 00:38:36,488 [EXPLOSION] 746 00:38:36,531 --> 00:38:38,533 Smits: WHAT WAS THAT? 747 00:38:38,577 --> 00:38:42,363 Soldier: ARTILLERY, BEING FIRED ACROSS THE BORDER. 748 00:38:42,407 --> 00:38:43,756 Narrator: THE SITES ARE LOCATED 749 00:38:43,799 --> 00:38:47,150 IN A TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY SEPARATIST FORCES. 750 00:38:47,194 --> 00:38:49,370 THE FRONT LINE IS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. 751 00:38:53,069 --> 00:38:54,810 Abeltje Tromp, translated: THERE WAS STILL FIGHTING 752 00:38:54,854 --> 00:38:56,246 IN THE AREA. 753 00:38:56,290 --> 00:38:59,902 WE HEARD ARTILLERY AND SMALL ARMS FIRE. 754 00:38:59,946 --> 00:39:03,384 FOR THAT REASON, WE ALSO WORE FLAK JACKETS. 755 00:39:03,428 --> 00:39:06,169 IT WAS CRAZY BECAUSE YOU'D HEAR THE NOISE, 756 00:39:06,213 --> 00:39:09,303 AND IT MEANT AT THAT MOMENT PEOPLE WERE GETTING WOUNDED, 757 00:39:09,347 --> 00:39:10,522 OR WORSE. 758 00:39:10,565 --> 00:39:12,175 Smits: THIS IS NOT PART OF THE PLANE. 759 00:39:18,747 --> 00:39:19,835 Narrator: DUTCH INVESTIGATORS 760 00:39:19,879 --> 00:39:21,750 MANAGE TO BRING PIECES OF THE WRECKAGE 761 00:39:21,794 --> 00:39:23,404 BACK TO THE NETHERLANDS 762 00:39:23,448 --> 00:39:26,451 AND QUICKLY NARROW THEIR FOCUS ON THE SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT 763 00:39:26,494 --> 00:39:30,150 THAT THEY BELIEVE WAS CLOSEST TO THE BLAST. 764 00:39:30,193 --> 00:39:31,978 Smits, translated: ALL OF THE WRECKAGE 765 00:39:32,021 --> 00:39:34,241 THAT WAS FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT 766 00:39:34,284 --> 00:39:38,767 WAS ANALYZED VERY PRECISELY. 767 00:39:38,811 --> 00:39:41,422 Narrator: THEY START RECONSTRUCTING THE COCKPIT. 768 00:39:41,466 --> 00:39:43,468 Beumkes: BLAST DEPOSITS. 769 00:39:43,511 --> 00:39:45,034 Narrator: THE LEFT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT 770 00:39:45,078 --> 00:39:46,514 HAS SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE. 771 00:39:46,558 --> 00:39:48,168 Smits: AND YOU SEE HOW THE METAL IS BUCKLING IN HERE 772 00:39:48,211 --> 00:39:49,256 NEAR THE SUPPORTS. 773 00:39:49,299 --> 00:39:51,606 Beumkes: AND THEN THE HOLES. 774 00:39:51,650 --> 00:39:53,347 HIT BY A PRESSURE WAVE. 775 00:39:56,176 --> 00:39:58,570 Smits: ALL THOSE PENETRATIONS, 776 00:39:58,613 --> 00:40:01,137 THAT WAS A HORRIFIC SIGHT. 777 00:40:01,181 --> 00:40:04,663 YOU SEE THE DEVASTATING POWER OF THE HUNDREDS OF OBJECTS 778 00:40:04,706 --> 00:40:08,101 THAT PENETRATED THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT 779 00:40:08,144 --> 00:40:11,713 AND WHERE THE IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP STARTED. 780 00:40:11,757 --> 00:40:13,280 THAT'S OVERWHELMING. 781 00:40:13,323 --> 00:40:16,892 BUT IT'S ALSO VERY GOOD PROOF OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. 782 00:40:19,808 --> 00:40:21,157 Narrator: WITH THE RECONSTRUCTION 783 00:40:21,201 --> 00:40:22,724 NEARLY COMPLETE, 784 00:40:22,768 --> 00:40:26,075 INVESTIGATORS SEPARATE PIECES OF SHRAPNEL MADE OF STEEL 785 00:40:26,119 --> 00:40:29,644 FROM THE ALUMINUM SHELL OF THE AIRCRAFT. 786 00:40:29,688 --> 00:40:31,864 Smits: THESE STEEL PIECES HAVE TO BE FROM THE WARHEAD. 787 00:40:34,519 --> 00:40:36,477 Narrator: THE ONLY EXPLANATION 788 00:40:36,521 --> 00:40:39,262 IS THAT A MISSILE EXPLODED OUTSIDE OF THE PLANE. 789 00:40:42,265 --> 00:40:43,702 Beumkes: ANOTHER PIECE FROM THE MISSILE? 790 00:40:43,745 --> 00:40:45,573 Smits: YEAH, I THINK SO. 791 00:40:45,617 --> 00:40:48,054 BUT THIS LOOKS DIFFERENT. 792 00:40:48,097 --> 00:40:50,448 Beumkes: I'VE SEEN THIS KIND OF PIECE BEFORE. 793 00:40:54,539 --> 00:40:57,629 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS LINK BOW-TIE SHAPED FRAGMENTS 794 00:40:57,672 --> 00:40:59,152 TO A SPECIFIC WARHEAD. 795 00:40:59,195 --> 00:41:01,241 Beumkes: THERE IT IS. 796 00:41:01,284 --> 00:41:04,070 A BUK MISSILE. 797 00:41:04,113 --> 00:41:06,115 Narrator: THE FRAGMENTS ARE FROM THE WARHEAD 798 00:41:06,159 --> 00:41:10,250 OF A BUK SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SYSTEM. 799 00:41:10,293 --> 00:41:12,513 Joseph: WITH A FRAGMENTATION TYPE WARHEAD, 800 00:41:12,557 --> 00:41:14,297 THE WARHEAD DETONATES, 801 00:41:14,341 --> 00:41:15,777 AND BETWEEN 7,000 AND 8,000 802 00:41:15,821 --> 00:41:19,172 OF THESE PRE-FORMED, SHAPED FRAGMENTS 803 00:41:19,215 --> 00:41:22,567 ARE DISPERSED AGAINST THE TARGET AT VERY HIGH VELOCITY. 804 00:41:22,610 --> 00:41:25,483 EACH ONE OF THESE FRAGMENTS IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED 805 00:41:25,526 --> 00:41:29,182 TO RIP THROUGH AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM. 806 00:41:29,225 --> 00:41:30,923 Narrator: THERE'S AMPLE EVIDENCE 807 00:41:30,966 --> 00:41:32,141 THAT THE RUSSIAN-BACKED MILITANTS 808 00:41:32,185 --> 00:41:35,841 HAVE ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF WEAPON. 809 00:41:35,884 --> 00:41:37,973 Joseph: THESE HIGH-PERFORMANCE MISSILES 810 00:41:38,017 --> 00:41:43,196 ACTUALLY WILL ENCOUNTER A TARGET AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF MACH 3. 811 00:41:43,239 --> 00:41:47,069 THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE NO CAPACITY OR EXPECTATION 812 00:41:47,113 --> 00:41:49,289 FOR THE FLIGHT CREW TO EVEN KNOW 813 00:41:49,332 --> 00:41:50,943 THAT THEY WERE BEING ENGAGED BY SUCH A WEAPON. 814 00:41:53,423 --> 00:41:55,991 Narrator: BUT WHY WAS THE MALAYSIA AIRLINES PLANE 815 00:41:56,035 --> 00:41:59,342 FLYING THROUGH A CONFLICT ZONE IN THE FIRST PLACE? 816 00:41:59,386 --> 00:42:01,519 Smits: SECURITY SERVICE REPORT? 817 00:42:01,562 --> 00:42:04,434 Beumkes: SKIP TO PAGE 24. 818 00:42:04,478 --> 00:42:06,045 Narrator: LOOKING AT THE UKRAINIAN AIRSPACE 819 00:42:06,088 --> 00:42:08,308 LEADING UP TO THE CRASH, 820 00:42:08,351 --> 00:42:10,702 INVESTIGATORS LEARN THAT UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES 821 00:42:10,745 --> 00:42:13,269 WERE RESPONDING TO THE THREAT IN THE AREA 822 00:42:13,313 --> 00:42:17,883 BY RESTRICTING FLIGHTS AT INCREASINGLY HIGHER ALTITUDES. 823 00:42:17,926 --> 00:42:21,713 BUT CRUCIALLY, THEY NEVER CLOSED THE AIRSPACE COMPLETELY. 824 00:42:23,715 --> 00:42:27,196 Joseph: MALAYSIAN AIRLINES WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT 825 00:42:27,240 --> 00:42:28,633 THAN 160 OTHER FLIGHTS 826 00:42:28,676 --> 00:42:32,332 THAT HAD TRANSGRESSED THAT AIRSPACE THE SAME DAY. 827 00:42:32,375 --> 00:42:34,639 THEY WERE NOT THE LONE RANGER IN THAT AIRSPACE. 828 00:42:34,682 --> 00:42:36,249 IT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE 829 00:42:36,292 --> 00:42:38,556 THAT THEY WERE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. 830 00:42:46,955 --> 00:42:48,653 Narrator: IN ITS FINAL REPORT, 831 00:42:48,696 --> 00:42:51,090 THE DUTCH SAFETY BOARD CALLS ON AIRLINES 832 00:42:51,133 --> 00:42:53,614 TO IMPROVE THEIR RISK ASSESSMENT CAPABILITIES 833 00:42:53,658 --> 00:42:54,963 SO THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND 834 00:42:55,007 --> 00:42:59,838 THE DANGERS POSED BY MILITARY THREATS. 835 00:42:59,881 --> 00:43:02,492 Derner: IT'S IMPORTANT THAT DISPATCHERS AND OPERATIONS FOLKS 836 00:43:02,536 --> 00:43:03,929 AND PILOTS 837 00:43:03,972 --> 00:43:05,060 ARE PLANNING THEIR FLIGHTS 838 00:43:05,104 --> 00:43:06,279 AROUND DANGEROUS AIRSPACE 839 00:43:06,322 --> 00:43:07,628 THAT HAS ANY KIND OF ISSUE. 840 00:43:07,672 --> 00:43:09,238 THE RESTRICTIONS ARE THERE. 841 00:43:09,282 --> 00:43:11,327 MALAYSIA 17 WAS OPERATING 842 00:43:11,371 --> 00:43:13,808 WITHIN ALL OF THE RESTRICTIONS AND ADVISORIES 843 00:43:13,852 --> 00:43:15,462 THAT WERE IN PLACE, 844 00:43:15,505 --> 00:43:17,986 BUT THOSE ADVISORIES WERE JUST NOT ENOUGH. 845 00:43:19,335 --> 00:43:20,859 Narrator: A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION 846 00:43:20,902 --> 00:43:24,036 AS TO WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEADLY ATTACK 847 00:43:24,079 --> 00:43:25,864 REMAINS UNSOLVED. 848 00:43:30,869 --> 00:43:33,959 HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST 849 00:43:34,002 --> 00:43:38,093 BECAUSE CIVILIAN AIRLINERS HAVE BECOME TARGETS. 850 00:43:38,137 --> 00:43:41,357 EACH SHOCKING CRASH HORRIFIES THE FLYING PUBLIC. 851 00:43:44,273 --> 00:43:47,450 BUT FROM EACH INCIDENT, VITAL LESSONS ARE LEARNED 852 00:43:47,494 --> 00:43:51,237 ON HOW AIRLINERS CAN BEPROTECTED FROM THE HEAT OF WAR. 853 00:43:53,065 --> 00:43:56,721 THE CONTINUING HOPE IS THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.