The families of the injured passengers and crew of the Malaysia Airlines plane, which was shot down over Ukraine 10 years ago, gathered today in the Netherlands and Australia to mark the anniversary of the tragedy in which 298 people died.
At the commemoration not far from Schiphol airport, near Amsterdam, in the presence of the Dutch king, diplomats and politicians, the names of all the passengers killed in the “Boeing 777” plane, which flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, were read.
“After ten years, the sadness is still great. The Netherlands remains determined to seek the truth, justice and responsibility for the downing of the plane on flight MH17,” the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Australian Attorney General Mark Dreyfus represented his country at the commemoration in the Netherlands, where 298 trees were planted in memory of each victim, and sunflowers, like those that grew at the crash site, were also planted.
Some of the attendees also brought sunflowers and left them by the trees. The flags of the countries whose citizens died were lowered to half-mast.
A similar ceremony was held in the Australian Parliament in Canberra.
Both commemorations are being held in the midst of the war in Ukraine, and the victims’ families have called on the Russian government to admit guilt.
“I don’t think anyone intended to shoot down the passenger plane. In that sense, I’m heartbroken that the conflict continues. But I think a lot of families would really like to see Russia admit that what happened was wrong and that it shouldn’t have gone to war.” , said Paul Guard, whose parents were killed in the crash.
The border region, from where the rocket that shot down the plane was launched, was under the control of pro-Russian rebels, and the field where the wreckage fell is now Russian-controlled territory.
The Russian government persistently denies responsibility for the downing of the plane and refuses to extradite two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist convicted in absentia of murder by a Dutch court in 2022.
“Although the court formally found Russian puppets guilty, the authorities in the Kremlin headed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and his accomplices are behind this crime,” according to the statement of the Ukrainian General Staff published on Facebook.
The Netherlands and Australia continue to prosecute Russia through the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the Netherlands is suing Russia independently at the European Court of Human Rights.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said today that the case will continue and there will be no wavering in her commitment to Russia’s admission of responsibility.
An international investigation initiated by the Netherlands, Malaysia and Australia in the UN Security Council concluded that the Buk missile system that hit the plane belonged to Russia’s 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.
Malaysia reiterated its commitment to seeking justice and holding those responsible for the tragedy accountable.
“The Government of Malaysia is determined that the process must strive for truth, justice and accountability,” the Ministry of Transport said in a statement, Federalna writes.
