VIGHUIZEN, Netherlands (AP) — Grieving relatives on Wednesday read out the names and ages of all 298 passengers and crew who died in the crash. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 A solemn ceremony was held near Amsterdam to mark the anniversary of the tragic incident 10 years ago, when the plane was shot down over Ukraine.
Relatives, some crying and some holding back tears, spent 30 minutes listing the names of those they had lost – brothers, sisters, parents, grandchildren, grandparents and nieces and nephews.
“It’s a dark day,” said Evert van Zuidveld, who lost his daughter Frederique, 19, and son Robert Jan, 18, as well as his grandparents.
“What’s important is that we named our loved ones… and it’s also very important that we remember them,” he added.
An international investigation concluded that the Buk missile system that shot down MH17 belonged to Russia’s 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade and was fired from territory controlled by pro-Moscow separatists. The investigation concluded that the missile launcher was transported to Ukraine from a Russian military base near the city of Kursk and returned there after the plane was shot down.
Moscow has repeatedly denied responsibility. Dutch courts Two Russians and one Ukrainian separatist were found guilty in absentia of involvement in shooting down the jet.
“The court has formally convicted a Russian puppet, but behind this crime are the Kremlin authorities led by President Putin and their accomplices,” the Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement on Facebook.
As the war in Ukraine escalates, memorials were held on Wednesday in the Netherlands, Australia and at the crash site in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region.
A memorial service in the Netherlands near Schiphol Airport, where the Boeing 777 to Kuala Lumpur took off on July 17, 2014, was attended by Dutch King Willem-Alexander, politicians, diplomats and hundreds of other family members.
Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus represented Australia at a visit to the memorial in the Netherlands, where 298 trees have been planted in memory of each of the victims.
“Today, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring truth, justice and accountability for the victims and their families,” Dreyfus said.
Many families carried sunflowers like those growing at the crash site and placed them next to a tree. Next to a field of blooming sunflowers, the flag of a country that lost its citizens flew at half-staff.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schauff vowed to continue fighting to bring those responsible to justice.
“I know, justice takes time,” he said, “but we have time, and we have patience and perseverance. That’s my message to those who have committed crimes, and that’s my promise to you.”
The Australian ceremony took place at Parliament House in Canberra.
“I don’t think it was their intention to bring the plane down, and in that sense I’m saddened that the (Ukraine) conflict continues,” Paul Gard told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Mr Gard’s parents, Roger and Jill Gard, were among the 38 Australian citizens and permanent residents who died.
“But I think a lot of the families really wanted recognition that what happened was wrong, that Russia should not have been at war,” his son added.
Russia continues to be pursued under international law by the Netherlands at the European Court of Human Rights and by Australia and the Netherlands jointly through the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization. International Civil Aviation OrganizationThe country has been hit by protests over its alleged involvement in the downing of Flight MH17.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at a ceremony in Canberra on Wednesday she was “appalled” by Russia’s withdrawal from ICAO deliberations in June.
“This trial will continue and we will never waver in our determination to hold Russia accountable,” Wong told the rally.
At the crash site in the village of Hrabov, dozens of locals brought flowers, stuffed toys and even model airplanes to a small memorial set up in a field near where the wreckage was found. Some struggled to hold back tears as they recalled how the blast shattered their windows and saw bodies fall from the sky. “It’s painful,” one woman said. “I feel for those people.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Wong’s remarks, reiterating that Moscow’s position on the matter was “public knowledge.” “The Russian side’s claims were not taken into account, we were not involved in the investigation, and our attitude towards these conclusions is public knowledge,” he said.
Of the victims, 196 were from the Netherlands and 38 were from Australia. Victims also came from Malaysia, Indonesia, Britain, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, Israel, Italy, Romania, the United States and South Africa.
Malaysia also reiterated its commitment to seek justice and bring to justice those responsible for this tragedy.
“The Malaysian government is firm in its determination that truth, justice and accountability must be pursued in this process,” the Transport Ministry said in a statement.
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McGurk reported from Melbourne, Australia.
