DHAKA: There were 298 people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 when it was shot down Thursday, not 295 as the airline originally said.

In announcing the new number in a statement, the airline said there were three infants on the plane, reports the Washington Post early Friday.

As opposed to the earlier statement, the flight was carrying a total number of 298 people – comprising 283 passengers including three infants of various nationalities and 15 crew of Malaysian nationality, the report added.

However, some of the nationalities of the passengers are yet to be determined while more than 150 were Dutch there.

The airline said in the statement that all of its European flights “will be taking alternative routes avoiding the usual route” — though, it added, Flight 17′s usual route “was earlier declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organization. International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.”

BDST: 0627 HRS, JULY 18, 2014