EUROCONTROL: Flights over eastern Ukraine suspended until further notice

The Ukrainian authorities had closed the route where the Malaysia Airlines plane crashed from the ground up to 32,000 feet, but the route was open at the level at which the aircraft was flying, said EUROCONTROL, an agency supervising air traffic in Europe.

"According to our information, the aircraft was flying at Flight Level 330 (approximately 10,000 metres/33,000 feet) when it disappeared from radar. This route had been closed by the Ukrainian authorities from the ground to flight level 320 but was open at the level at which the aircraft was flying," says the report posted on the EUROCONTROL website.

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"Since the crash, the Ukrainian authorities have informed EUROCONTROL of the closure of all airspace in Eastern Ukraine (Dnipropetrovsk Flight Information Region). All flight plans that are filed using these routes are now being rejected by EUROCONTROL. The routes will remain closed until further notice.

"The European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell is being activated to coordinate the response to the impact of the airspace closure," the report said.

Meanwhile, a number of countries have prohibited national airlines to fly over eastern Ukraine. The ban has been imposed by China and the United States amongst others. South Korean and Australian airlines changed their routes to avoid Ukraine about a month ago.

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