18. The Soviets claimed KAL 007 was on an intelligence gathering mission
By the time the Soviet pilots could maneuver onto position to shoot down KAL 007 it was once again in international airspace. The pilot recognized the aircraft as a Boeing 747 in civilian configuration but later pointed out such an airplane could be used for military purposes. He could not see the Korean Airlines markings due to the dark. After his missile struck KAL 007 the airplane continued to fly under control for about five minutes, descending gradually. Then it began a downward spiral, which increased in speed and rate of descent, before the airplane broke up and crashed to the west of Sakhalin. Japanese fishermen in the area reported large flashes of light and the smell of aviation fuel. The Soviet pilots reported the aircraft destroyed and returned to base. After denying knowledge, the Soviets later admitted destroying the aircraft, claiming it had been on an intelligence mission.
The Soviets claimed the aircraft had been used to test Soviet radar and responses of the defense installations in Sakhalin, Kamchatka, and the vicinity. The Americans claimed the Soviets had deliberately shot down a known civilian airliner. Both sides conducted extensive searches for human remains and aircraft wreckage. President Reagan called the Soviet action, “…an act of barbarism”. The Americans suspended Aeroflot’s service to the United States. The Soviet Union blamed the incident on the CIA, for using a civilian airliner for intelligence purposes. For the 269 people aboard KAL 007, it didn’t matter. Ever since the events surrounding KAL 007 have been the subject of conspiracy theories, disinformation campaigns, and historical debate. It has long been controversial in the Reagan legacy, with some considering the flight a deliberate provocation by the United States.
