After the tragic crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on Thursday, Peter Greenberg went on CBS This Morning to discuss what this second incident means for Malaysia Airlines.
Back in April, the U.S. issued a notice telling pilots to avoid flying over the Crimea and the Black Sea. It didn’t mention anything about flying over Eastern Ukraine, and dozens of airlines have used a similar route to the one MH17 was flying on Thursday.
Since the crash, airlines have been diverted, and now it’s likely that planes will be re-routed over conflict areas all around the world.
Unfortunately, this second incident could harm Malaysia Airlines. The airline has suffered 1.3 billion in losses over the last three years, even before the disappearance of MH370. Despite the fact that the airline has a great safety record, people have been booking through other airlines.
While both MH17 and MH370 were Boeing 777s, the airplane is incredibly safe. The only other incident involved with this type of aircraft was the Asiana 214 crash, which occurred due to pilot error.
At present, it’s crucial to keep the crash scene preserved. While the black box is vital, it simply records when the plane was hit. What investigators need in order to determine the source of the crash is a forensic trail, to check for marks of striation, test chemicals, and to see if the metal is bent in or out. This will help investigators determine if there was an explosion inside or outside of the plane.
Watch Peter Greenberg’s take on CBS This Morning:
