Amsterdam, July 17, 2024, The Europe Today: Wednesday marks the tenth anniversary of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 being shot down over eastern Ukraine by rebel forces with Russian support and equipment.
Ceremonies commemorating the tragic event of MH17 will be held in Europe later on Wednesday, centered around Vijfhuizen in the Netherlands, near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, where the plane took off. This location is home to the monument dedicated to the 283 passengers and 15 crew members who lost their lives. Among the victims, 193 were from the Netherlands.
Australia Mourns in Canberra Ceremony
In Canberra, Australia, a memorial service took place at Parliament House’s Great Hall on Wednesday. The ceremony was attended by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was in office when the commercial airliner was shot down. Twenty-nine of the victims of MH17 were Australian citizens, and another nine were residents.
“Ten years ago, we woke to news as incomprehensible now as it was then: 298 lives taken; 298 voyages ended, yet forever incomplete; 38 who called Australia home, one of the worst Australian peacetime losses of life,” Wong said during the ceremony. “You have lost so much. But you are not alone in your loss. We are with you,” she added, addressing the friends and relatives of the deceased. “And your grief steels us in the fight for justice, as it has steeled Australia since that terrible day.”
Calls for Accountability from Russia
Current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared an image of himself laying a wreath at a memorial in Canberra. “Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to seeking truth, justice, and accountability from those responsible for this horrific act of violence,” Albanese stated.
Opposition Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton issued a strong statement calling out Russia and President Vladimir Putin. He quoted findings from an international investigation into the shooting, which indicated that the decision to provide Ukrainian rebels with the missile system used to shoot down the plane “was taken at the presidential level.” The investigators concluded that the fighters had targeted the plane intentionally, although they did not know it was a commercial airliner. The attack was deemed premeditated, and in 2022, three of the four main suspects were convicted in absentia.
European Union’s Stance
The European Union, echoing sentiments expressed by Penny Wong at the Canberra ceremony, referred to UN Resolution 2166 and reiterated its “full support for all efforts to establish truth, justice, and accountability” in the case. “The European Union reiterates its call on the Russian Federation to accept its responsibility in this tragedy and to cooperate fully in serving justice,” it said in a statement ahead of the anniversary.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus Attends European Ceremonies
Australia has sent Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus to Vijfhuizen near Amsterdam for the European ceremonies. Speaking to ABC News beforehand, Dreyfus emphasized, “One of the main messages in the speech that I’m going to give today is a message of sorrow, but equally a message that Australia is determined, in the memory of those who died, to continue to bring to justice all those responsible. It’s a message of sorrow, but also a message of determination — that we’re not going to let this go.”
Background of the MH17 Incident
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 took off from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport just after midday local time on July 17, 2014, bound for Kuala Lumpur. Approximately three hours later, its flight data recorder stopped functioning while it was cruising over the Hrabove village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk oblast. A Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile detonated near the pilot’s cabin, instantly destroying the cockpit and causing the plane to explode and decompress mid-air. The incident, which led to several airlines altering their standard flight paths, remains a significant point of contention and grief for many across the globe.
