The Malaysian investigative team assigned to the crash site of downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 will continue its probe at the site in eastern Ukraine today, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the team, comprised of Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) officers, had located Flight MH17’s cockpit and are examining all available evidence at the site.
According to Zahid, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar reported a strong stench of decomposition emanating from the cockpit, but that no human remains were found.
The remains in the cockpit were believed to have been reached by scavengers before the investigative team got to them.
Since arriving in the Donetsk area on Monday night, Malaysian, Dutch and Australian investigators have had limited access to Flight MH17’s crash site, due to the ongoing armed conflict between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russia separatist rebels in the area. Yesterday, investigators had only one and a half hours to carry out probes at the crash site due to security issues.
On Thursday July 17, Flight MH17 was believed to have been shot down over eastern Ukraine, while en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board are believed dead. Of the total number of passengers, 193 were Dutch nationals.
See Also:
Video: The Netherlands’ foreign minister makes emotional plea for UN action on MH17
Video: First group of MH17 bodies arrive in the Netherlands, given full honours
Putrajaya to set aside special burial ground for Muslim MH17 victims
PM Najib: “weeks or months” before Malaysian MH17 bodies can come home
Prime Minister’s Hari Raya open house cancelled out of respect for MH17 victims
PM Najib: national day of mourning when MH17 victims’ bodies return home
