Ten years after MH17 shootdown: Australia and the Netherlands remember the victims
Flight MH17 was hit by a missile on July 17, 2014 while flying over eastern Ukraine from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 passengers were killed, among them 196 Dutch, 43 Malaysians, and 38 Australians.
A court in the Netherlands found two Russians and an Ukrainian guilty in absentia and sentenced them to life imprisonment in this case in November 2022. The court concluded that the plane was shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile of the BUK type. The missile reportedly came from a Russian military base and was fired from a field in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Russia denies any involvement to this day.
School stated on a Wednesday that a conviction was "not the same as seeing someone behind bars." Justice requires "that we are prepared for a long journey," the prime minister noted. "We have the time, patience, and endurance," he confirmed. "That is my message to the perpetrators and my promise to the families."
The Russian embassy in The Hague declared on a Wednesday that Moscow had no involvement in the shooting down and accused Kiev instead. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov emphasized that Russia was not involved in the investigations "and our position regarding the results is well-known."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on the X online service, "Russia's responsibility for this atrocity is inescapable."
Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his 19-year-old daughter, his 18-year-old son, and his in-laws in the plane crash, did not believe that "the perpetrators will pay for their crimes." Driekske Bakker, whose brother and sister-in-law died in the crash, was "happy that there was at least a trial and that we cannot leave Russia."
Schiphol Airport closed a nearby runway for the memorial service. Nationwide, flags were flown at half-mast.
The European Union called on Russia on Tuesday to "accept its responsibility in this tragedy and cooperate fully, without limitation, for justice to be served." The evidence had made it clear that the BUK missile belonged to the Russian armed forces, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell declared.
- The families of the victims on Flight MH17, including those from Netherlands, Malaysia, and Australia, have been seeking justice for years.
- Following the MH17-Shootdown verdict, Penny Wong, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, expressed her gratitude to the Dutch authorities for their tireless efforts.
- The Amsterdam Airport, a major hub for flights, was significantly affected by the MH17 disaster, with many international flights altering their routes as a result.
- Dick Schoof, the former Mayor of The Hague, played a crucial role in the aftermath of the MH17 tragedy, helping to coordinate the response and support for the bereaved families.
- Malaysia Airlines, the airline operating Flight MH17, has been eternally scarred by the incident, with the loss of their passengers and crew still a painful memory.
- The trial for the MH17 shootdown took place in Amsterdam, drawing attention from all over the world, with people from Eastern Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine, and other affected countries in attendance.
- In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the families of the Malaysian victims held their own memorial services, grieving for their lost loved ones.
- Tod, a close friend of Evert van Zijtveld, who lost several family members in the MH17 disaster, rallied for international support, advocating for stronger sanctions against Russia in response to the shootdown.
- The Russian diplomatic mission in Donetsk, the Eastern Ukrainian region where the MH17 missile was allegedly launched, has remained a focal point of investigation and controversy in the case of MH17-Shootdown.
