Malaysian airliner downed in Ukraine war zone, 295 dead

2014-07-18 1

What looks like a normal field in eastern Ukraine is now a charred graveyard.

Airplane parts lie scattered while smoke drifts across the horizon.

It was here near the village of Hrabove, where a Malaysian airliner was brought down Thursday.

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HRABOVE RESIDENT, ALEXANDER, SAYING:

"I was in my house and heard a rumble, explosions - there were two explosions. I ran out of my house and there was black smoke, I thought my nephew was affected. I ran out and saw the black smoke."

The crash killed all 295 people aboard.

It also raised the stakes in a conflict between Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels.

Ukraine has accused the rebels of shooting down the Boeing 777 with a heavy Soviet-era ground-to-air missile.

Rebel leaders have denied involvement.

As international investigators head to the crash site, a world is left wondering what exactly happened and why.

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