This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28457759

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
UK investigators to examine MH17 flight data UK investigators to examine MH17 flight data
(about 3 hours later)
UK investigators are to start examining the flight data recorder from the downed Malaysia Airlines plane. UK investigators are due to start examining a second black box flight recorder from downed flight MH17.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch in Farnborough will start the process almost a week after the plane crashed in eastern Ukraine. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has downloaded "valid data" from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR).
Whitehall sources, meanwhile, say information shows some evidence was tampered with at the crash site. The AAIB in Farnborough will now examine the flight data recorder (FDR), which records technical information.
The sources said this included moving bodies and scattering the parts of other aircraft among the wreckage. Two more planes carrying victims are due to arrive in the Netherlands later. All 298 people on MH17 died when it crashed in east Ukraine last week.
All 298 people on board flight MH17 were killed in the crash in Ukraine on 17 July. Many of those travelling on the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were Dutch.
They included 10 Britons on the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. There were 10 Britons on board.
Missile launch Meanwhile, a pro-Russian rebel leader in eastern Ukraine has said his forces do not possess the Buk missile thought to have downed the Malaysia airlines plane.
British accident investigators will attempt to retrieve data from the recorders following a request by authorities in the Netherlands. Alexander Borodai, prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), described evidence that showed otherwise as "fake".
The Dutch Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said "valid data" had already been downloaded from MH17's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) which will be "further analysed". Solemn ceremony
The board said: "The CVR was damaged but the memory module was intact. Furthermore no evidence or indications of manipulation of the CVR was found." All the bodies are being flown into Eindhoven and taken to the Korporaal van Oudheusden barracks, south of the city of Hilversum, for identification - a process that could take months.
The black boxes have been transported to the UK after pro-Russian rebels handed them to Malaysian officials this week. Forty coffins were received from two military planes in a solemn ceremony at Eindhoven air base on Wednesday.
The data recorder records technical information on the performance of the aircraft. The Netherlands observed a national day of mourning for the victims.
British accident investigators were tasked with retrieving data from the black box recorders following a request by authorities in the Netherlands.
The British AAIB is one of only two "replay units" in Europe with the necessary equipment to listen to what has been recorded on the cockpit voice recorder. The other is in France.
The black boxes were transported to the UK after pro-Russian rebels handed them to Malaysian officials this week.
The data recorder stores technical information on the performance of the aircraft.
The other box takes down sounds such as pilots' voices and, potentially, an explosion.The other box takes down sounds such as pilots' voices and, potentially, an explosion.
The Dutch Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said "valid data" had already been downloaded from MH17's CVR which will be "further analysed and investigated".
The board said: "The CVR was damaged but the memory module was intact. Furthermore no evidence or indications of manipulation of the CVR was found."
Replay unitsReplay units
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said data from the two devices would be downloaded and sent back to Dutch investigators. On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Department for Transport said data from the two devices would be downloaded and sent back to Dutch investigators.
Depending on damage to the black boxes the process should take about two days, the spokesman said.Depending on damage to the black boxes the process should take about two days, the spokesman said.
Jonathan Sumberg, BBC transport reporter, said the British Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) was one of two "replay units" in Europe with the necessary equipment to listen to the cockpit voice recorder.
What are black boxes?What are black boxes?
They are two devices - neither of them black - which are designed to survive a crash.They are two devices - neither of them black - which are designed to survive a crash.
The flight data recorder records operating information from the plane's systems, storing a range of information such as altitude, airspeed, engine power and the pilot's use of the controls.The flight data recorder records operating information from the plane's systems, storing a range of information such as altitude, airspeed, engine power and the pilot's use of the controls.
The cockpit voice recorder, as its name suggests, records sound in the cockpit and can be vital in determining what happened to a crashed aircraft.The cockpit voice recorder, as its name suggests, records sound in the cockpit and can be vital in determining what happened to a crashed aircraft.
BBC reporter Theo Leggett said the black boxes would be taken to a sealed room at the AAIB headquarters in Farnborough where the data would be downloaded. BBC reporter Theo Leggett said the flight data recorder could potentially confirm whether the plane had been hit by a missile.
He said the flight recorder could potentially confirm whether the plane had been hit by a missile.
However, he said information from the cockpit voice recorder could be "relatively limited" as the impact of the explosion "would have occurred pretty much without warning".However, he said information from the cockpit voice recorder could be "relatively limited" as the impact of the explosion "would have occurred pretty much without warning".
Former aircraft accident investigator Tony Cable also told the BBC it was unclear how much information would be recovered from the flight recorders. Jets downed
"The cockpit voice recorder could conceivably record the sound of shrapnel hitting the aircraft from the missile, which is assumed to be the cause, possibly followed by the sound of the warhead then exploding," he said. On Tuesday, Whitehall sources said information has emerged that crash evidence was deliberately tampered with.
'Very persuasive' The sources said this included moving bodies and scattering the parts of other aircraft among the wreckage of the downed Malaysia Airlines plane.
Whitehall sources also told the BBC that pro-Russian rebels are believed to have discussed plans to hand MH17's two black box flight recorders to Russia. Intelligence has been obtained which strongly indicates that the plane was shot down by an SA-11 BUK missile launched from a separatist-held area in eastern Ukraine.
It is understood that some of these conversations were intercepted by Ukrainian intelligence; the information is considered to be "very persuasive".
Intelligence has also been obtained which strongly indicates that the plane was shot down by an SA-11 BUK missile launched from a separatist-held area in eastern Ukraine.
Western leaders have accused Russia of arming separatist rebels in Ukraine.Western leaders have accused Russia of arming separatist rebels in Ukraine.
Russia has suggested Ukrainian government forces are to blame.Russia has suggested Ukrainian government forces are to blame.
It comes as a group of MPs criticised the fact that UK licences to export arms to Russia had remained in place, despite the conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile, as fighting continued in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, officials in Kiev told the BBC that two aircraft, thought to be military jets, had been downed just 35km (20 miles) from the crash site.
Downing Street said the UK had not sold arms to Russia since March.
The UK and Dutch flags have been flown at half mast in Downing Street in memory of those who lost their lives.