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First MH17 dead to be flown to Netherlands from Ukraine | First MH17 dead to be flown to Netherlands from Ukraine |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The first bodies recovered from the Malaysia Airlines plane that crashed in Ukraine last week are to be flown to the Netherlands for identification. | The first bodies recovered from the Malaysia Airlines plane that crashed in Ukraine last week are to be flown to the Netherlands for identification. |
The Netherlands is holding a day of mourning for the 298 killed in the 17 July crash, 193 of whom were Dutch. | The Netherlands is holding a day of mourning for the 298 killed in the 17 July crash, 193 of whom were Dutch. |
Meanwhile, US intelligence officials say pro-Russian rebels shot down the jet by mistake, but they have not found any direct link to Russia. | Meanwhile, US intelligence officials say pro-Russian rebels shot down the jet by mistake, but they have not found any direct link to Russia. |
The plane crashed in a rebel-held area after apparently being hit by a rocket. | The plane crashed in a rebel-held area after apparently being hit by a rocket. |
The rebels have been accused of stalling investigators, tampering with evidence and giving inaccurate information about the number of bodies recovered. | |
A refrigerated train carriage carrying about 200 bodies arrived at the government-held city of Kharkiv on Tuesday, four days after the crash. | |
Experts said they would continue to search the crash site. | |
On Wednesday morning, 40 coffins were slowly loaded on to two military planes at Kharkiv airport. | |
The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Kharkiv says ambassadors, officials and soldiers gathered to see off the planes. | |
Australian government envoy Angus Houston said the ceremony was intended to give the victims the "respect and dignity they deserve" after a "tragedy of unspeakable proportions". | |
The first flight is due to arrive in Eindhoven at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) and will be met by members of the Dutch royal family and the Prime Minister Mark Rutte will meet the plane. | |
The bodies are then due to be taken to the Korporaal van Oudheusden barracks for identification. | The bodies are then due to be taken to the Korporaal van Oudheusden barracks for identification. |
Mr Rutte said that process could take months. | Mr Rutte said that process could take months. |
In a separate process, the "black box" flight-data recorders from MH17 have been handed to Dutch authorities by Malaysian officials. | In a separate process, the "black box" flight-data recorders from MH17 have been handed to Dutch authorities by Malaysian officials. |
The devices will be sent to Farnborough in the UK for analysis. | The devices will be sent to Farnborough in the UK for analysis. |
In Washington, officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence presented evidence they had gathered on the involvement of the rebels. | In Washington, officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence presented evidence they had gathered on the involvement of the rebels. |
"It's a solid case that it's an SA-11 [missile] that was fired from eastern Ukraine under conditions the Russians helped create," said the officials, who requested that their names not be reported. | "It's a solid case that it's an SA-11 [missile] that was fired from eastern Ukraine under conditions the Russians helped create," said the officials, who requested that their names not be reported. |
They said the "most plausible explanation" for the shooting down of the plane was that rebels mistook it for another aircraft. | They said the "most plausible explanation" for the shooting down of the plane was that rebels mistook it for another aircraft. |
The evidence they presented included: | The evidence they presented included: |
Separately, a rebel militiaman told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that he had been ordered to the crash site minutes after the plane had gone down. | |
He said his commanders had told him: "We've just shot down one of the Kiev fascists' planes." | |
"We thought we were looking for baled-out Ukrainian pilots but instead we found dead civilians." | |
The US and other nations have accused rebels of blocking access to the crash site, putting valuable evidence at risk. | The US and other nations have accused rebels of blocking access to the crash site, putting valuable evidence at risk. |
In Australia, former American President Bill Clinton paid tribute to six HIV/Aids campaigners who were on board MH17. | In Australia, former American President Bill Clinton paid tribute to six HIV/Aids campaigners who were on board MH17. |
He said their lives had been "overpowering in their contribution to a shared future". | He said their lives had been "overpowering in their contribution to a shared future". |
Meanwhile, the conflict between Ukrainian government forces and rebels has continued, with reports of fighting near Donetsk and Luhansk. | Meanwhile, the conflict between Ukrainian government forces and rebels has continued, with reports of fighting near Donetsk and Luhansk. |
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Tuesday the army had captured the town of Severodonetsk, 140km (90 miles) from the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. | Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Tuesday the army had captured the town of Severodonetsk, 140km (90 miles) from the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. |
The fighting in eastern Ukraine erupted in April and is believed to have claimed more than 1,000 lives. | The fighting in eastern Ukraine erupted in April and is believed to have claimed more than 1,000 lives. |