All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S14E05.Explosive.Clues.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-AiRPL4NE_track3_[eng]

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.