Relatives of passengers and crew killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine have gathered in Australia and the Netherlands to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives.
Half of the victims of the tragedy on July 17 2014 were Dutch.
Hundreds of family members – who read out the names of all the victims – joined the Dutch king, politicians and diplomats at an event at a memorial in the Netherlands close to Schiphol, the airport that was the Kuala Lumpur-bound Boeing 777’s point of departure.
“It’s a black day,” said Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his daughter and son, Frederique, 19, and Robert-Jan, 18, along with their grandparents.
“What’s very important is that we mentioned the name of the loved ones … and it’s very important that we remember them,” he added.
The Dutch foreign ministry said in a statement: “Ten years on, the grief remains profound. The Netherlands remains determined to seek truth, justice, and account and accountability for the downing of Flight MH17.”
An international investigation concluded that the Buk missile system that destroyed MH17 belonged to the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade and was fired from territory controlled by pro-Moscow separatists.
The investigation concluded the missile was driven into 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.
In 2022, a Dutch court convicted in absentia two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist for their role in the jet’s downing.
Commemoration services took place in the Netherlands, Australia and the site of the crash in the Russia-controlled part of the Donetsk region, as the war in Ukraine raged on.
Australian attorney general Mark Dreyfus represented his country at the Dutch memorial site, where 298 trees were planted to commemorate each victim and sunflowers, like those that grew at the crash site, were sown.
Many of the families arriving for the service also carried sunflowers, laying them next to trees. Flags of the countries that lost citizens hung at half-staff next to a field of blooming sunflowers.
Paul Guard, whose parents, Roger and Jill Guard, were among 38 Australian citizens and permanent residents killed, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp: “I don’t think anyone intended to bring down a passenger plane.
“So in that sense, I’m heartbroken that the conflict continues.
“But I think that a lot of families would really have just liked an acknowledgement that what happened was wrong and that Russia should not have been waging war.”
Ukraine’s general staff said in a statement published on Facebook: “Although the court formally found Russian puppets guilty, the Kremlin authorities led by Putin and his accomplices are behind this crime.
Russia continues to be pursued under international law by the Netherlands through the European Court of Human Rights and by Australia and the Netherlands jointly through the International Civil Aviation Organisation Council (ICAO) over its alleged role in bringing down MH17.
Australian foreign minister Penny Wong told the service in Canberra that she was “appalled” that Russia had withdrawn from the ICAO proceedings in June.
“The case will continue and we will not be deterred in our commitment to hold Russia to account,” she told the gathering.
The Netherlands was home to 196 victims. As well as Australia, victims also came from Malaysia, Indonesia, the UK, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, Israel, Italy, Romania, the US and South Africa.
An international investigation initiated by the UN Security Council by the Netherlands, Malaysia and Australia concluded that the Buk missile system that destroyed MH17 belonged to the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.
The investigation concluded the missile was driven into Ukraine from a Russian military base near the city of Kursk and returned there after the plane was shot down.
Malaysia reiterated its commitment to seek justice and hold those responsible for the tragedy accountable.
“The Government of Malaysia is resolute that the process must pursue truth, justice and accountability,” the transport ministry said in a statement.
