Boeing 777 broke up over Thorez due to significant damage from outside, - an investigation

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 that crashed over Donetsk region on July 17 was technically sound and broke up in the air probably as a result of structural damage caused by a large number of objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside, according to a preliminary report of the Dutch Safety Board.

"Flight MH17 with a Boeing 777-200 operated by Malaysia Airlines broke up in the air probably as the result of structural damage caused by a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside," reads the report on the investigation into the crash, which was published by the Dutch Safety Board on Tuesday.

The report states that experts have yet been unable to conduct a detailed study of the wreckage. However, the available images show that the pieces of wreckage were pierced in numerous places. The pattern of damage to the aircraft fuselage and the cockpit is consistent with that which may be expected from a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside.

"It's likely that this damage resulted in a loss of structural integrity of the aircraft, leading to an in-flight break up. This also explains the abrupt end to the data registration on the recorders, the simultaneous loss of contact with air traffic control and the aircraft's disappearance from radar," experts said.

The report also states that a full listening of the communications among the crew members in the cockpit recorded on the cockpit voice recorder revealed no signs of any technical faults or an emergency situation.

"Neither were any warning tones heard in the cockpit that might have pointed to technical problems," an expert commission said.

The flight data recorder registered no aircraft system warnings, and aircraft engine parameters were consistent with normal operation during the flight. The radio communications with Ukrainian air traffic control confirm that no emergency call was made by the cockpit crew.

"Based on the available maintenance history the airplane was airworthy when it took off from Amsterdam and there were no known technical problems. The aircraft was manned by a qualified and experienced crew," reads the report.

As reported, a special team of Malaysian experts has currently arrived in Ukraine and is planning to visit and examine the crash site of the Boeing 777, which was downed in Donetsk region. A group of 69 people includes criminologists, photographers, experts in armament and a number of other experts.

The Malaysia Airlines' Boeing 777, which was flying from Amsterdam (the Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17. All 298 people on board were killed. They included 192 Dutch citizens (one also had U.S. citizenship), 44 Malaysians, including the 15 crew members, 27 Australians, 12 Indonesians, ten Britons (one also had South African nationality), four Germans, four Belgians, three Filipinos, one Canadian and one New Zealander.

The remains of 193 of the plane crash victims have currently been identified.