well sure, but why even make this geo distinction? it was a Korean airliner on an trans-continental flight. hence the multi-national news this is making (vs. the even more recent crash in Alaska that killed more passengers but is indeed a local event).

and this was not exactly a minor crash, it broke the spines of several passengers for chrissakes. the evacuation was top notch, even if the rescuers rolled over one of the victims. and a lot of luck, if that plane had turned on its head during the stumbling phase, the evacuation wouldn't have gone so fast.

I feel like if you are following your "first" with that many qualifiers, it starts losing meaning.

The first multiple-fatality crash involving a major airline in North America with an airliner carrying over 100 passengers and at least five kosher meals, not arriving on a Tuesday.