MH17: Families await justice 10 years after plane downed by Russian missile

As he watched the memorial services program, Hans de Borst’s arms began to shake.

His 17-year-old child Elsemiek was on board flight MH17, 10 years previously to the day.

Hans was the first of his relatives to travel to the tiny auditorium that stands in the middle of the MH17 national monument.

” How am I feeling”? Hans repeated my problem. ” A little stressed”.

He gestured to the rows of benches where 1, 300 family and dignitaries from around the globe, including Dutch King Willem-Alexander, may soon become seated.

A Russian surface-to-air Buk missile fired from an area of eastern Ukraine, which was taken over by Russian proxy forces, killed 280 and 89 people on July 17, 2014. The Malaysia Airlines customer plane was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by a Russian surface-to-air Buk weapon.

Mark Rutte, the former Dutch Prime Minister, was one of the visitors who made their way to the monument’s soul through areas of sunflowers.

Mr Rutte, who is Nato’s second secretary general, was asked by the BBC if he and his government had done enough to get justice for the patients.

” I do n’t know. I really do n’t know”.

In 2022, a Dutch court found guilty of murder in absentia of two Russians and one Russian national.

Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, and Leonid Kharchenko are all facing living words, but Russia has refused to let them go so they can be tried in court.

The Buk missile system belonged to Russia’s 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, based in Kursk, and the three men were all found innocent of transporting the weapon into Ukraine.

The Kremlin has always denied any role for the air crisis, which has forever affected the French people’s social memory.

Mr Rutte noted the problems in pursuing fairness and said he’d been moved by homage paid in the run-up to Wednesday’s 10-year celebration.

A dozen relatives of the dead exchanged kisses and muffled expressions of sympathy for the man who was excellent minister at the time of the tragedy and resigned less than two weeks ago.

” I think he did everything he could”, said Silene Frederiksz, whose brother Bryce was on board MH-17.

” And I’m optimistic that Dick Schoof]the new Dutch prime mininister ] will keep pushing for justice and accountability. He was involved in the MH17 analysis, he understands”.

A decade on, the people are also searching for the reality, and appreciation of responsibility.

” MH17 keeps coming back to haunt me” said Piet Ploeg, whose brother, brother and sister-in-law were all killed on 17 July 2014.

Of the 298 patients, 196 were French but there were subjects from many other states including 43 from Malaysia, 38 from Australia and 10 from the UK.

Eighty-eight babies were buried among the victims.

A split memorial service at Canberra’s Parliament House was held by American family.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine, at the time a few months ‘ older, erupted in February 2022 into a full-blown Russian invasion.

Many French relatives think that if the international community had adopted a tougher stance in response to the flight MH17 shooting over, the present hostilities could have been avoided.

Body and wreckage landed in sunflower fields close to Hrabove in eastern Ukraine after the passenger jet exploded at 33, 000 feet ( 10, 000 meters ).

Flowers have since become a symbol of the drama, and family have carried them past French monument flags flying in half-mast at the airport, which is close to Schiphol Airport.

In search of his daughter Daisy and her boyfriend Bryce, Robbie Oehlers was one of the few family who traveled to the accident site after the disaster.

Occasionally, aircraft rumbled above the depressing meeting. Bryce’s family Silene was among those who read out some of the 298 brands.

American Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, representing his land at the French event, said those caught up in the horror of MH17 had shared a pursuit of justice, truth and responsibilities, but no words may ease the pain.

The European Court of Human Rights and the International Civil Aviation Organization Council are taking additional legal steps to keep Russia guilty under international rules for the assault.

Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine, stated that it was unavoidable that those guilty of this and other war crimes had “hear the decisions they deserve.”

” They will never admit it”, said Robbie Oehlers of Russia’s leaders. ” Yes, I just want them to say sorry, but Putin, he never will. And now with the shift in our state. Now they are thinking about MH17 afterwards, but tomorrow they have different interests”.

For many of the people, the MH17 national memorial has become a spot of pleasure.

In honor of each victim, there are 298 branches planted at the memorial. Friends gathered around each tree to display photos, flowers, and pictures of their loved ones who rarely returned home.

” Love is the strongest emotion. Now reminds us, we are not alone in our sadness”, said Prime Minister Schoof.

The people ‘ representatives, Piet Ploeg, thanked Mark Rutte for his work and described it as heartwarming to see everyone unite.

The audience applauded.

” The most important thing”, said Mr Ploeg, “is that this dark day in our history is n’t forgotten”.