NEW YORK (AP) – The jetliner is much more than a machine used to get from one spot to another. It often carries deep symbolism, especially when flying for a national airline.
It can represent hope, modernity and a country’s power. And when things go wrong it, that once mighty plane can bring about deep national disgrace.
Malaysia now finds itself grappling with the horrific – and extremely unusual – loss of two of its airplanes, just four months apart. It’s a sad coincidence that also stings.
“It is unbelievable misfortune that struck (Malaysia Airlines) in such a short span of time. It will not affect Malaysia’s name, but it will damage MAS’ reputation,” said James Chin, political analyst at Monash University in Malaysia. He said it would be tough for the loss-making airline to survive the twin catastrophes.
The shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on Thursday over Ukraine comes just 131 days after the disappearance of Flight 370. That Boeing 777 is presumed to be on the floor of the Indian Ocean but, without any scrap of wreckage found, it remains the key to one of the biggest aviation mysteries.