MH17: Latest news and developments from Malaysia Airlines disaster for Thursday 24 July
FIFTY Aussie police officers are in London waiting to go into Ukraine as part of international force hoping to secure the MH17 crash site.
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FIFTY Australian police officers have been sent to London in preparation of going into Ukraine to secure the MH17 crash site.
They would be part of an international team, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, but he would not say if the officers would carry guns or be accompanied by soldiers.
He said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop would travel to Kiev later today with the Dutch Foreign Minister with the intention of establishing ground rules for what the international police team could do.
At the moment it is unclear what role the Australians would play.
“The exact circumstances are yet to be determined but they are pre-deployed to London [and] are ready to go into Ukraine.”
“Their task will be to ensure a full and thorough search does take place and all remains are recovered and sent to the Netherlands for identification.”
It was only then grieving families would have “closure they deserve”.
The Prime Minister said he wanted the officers there as soon as possible, but was unable to give a time-frame of when they might arrive.
He knew it was a difficult task, but was hopeful a more “permissive” environment at the scene — from the pro-Russia rebels — would mean they would be allowed access and a “full and impartial” investigation could follow.
“I accept there is potential for difficulty, absolutely accept potential for difficulty ...”
He confirmed he’d had a second conversation with Russian President Vladmir Putin early today where the Russian leader had said “all the right things”.
He hoped the Russians would be able to assist with the rebels who so far had created havoc at the crash site.
“We all know the Russians do have some influence over at least some elements operating against the Ukraine Government.”
The rebels had a “vested interest” in not allowing a proper investigation because they were “more than likely the ones who brought the plane down in the first place”.
The potential risk to the officers had been considered with the Prime Minister saying care was obviously being taken not to put Australians in harms way.
He would not give details about the officers that were in London other than to say they were “highly capable”.
EARLIER
4.30pm
There may not be any security at the MH17 scene but there are reports that a small number of officials, including an Australian, have arrived at the crash site.
One Australian expert has arrived to inspect the #MH17 crash site. With 3 Malaysians, that makes 4 - out of dozens elsewhere in Ukraine.
— max seddon (@maxseddon) July 24, 2014
4.00pm
People are still able to walk freely among the wreckage of MH17
One week after the crash, no guards, no cordon and no emergency workers or investigators at the scene #MH17 pic.twitter.com/j4O75juwzy
— Will Vernon (@BBCWillVernon) July 24, 2014
3.20pm
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has spoken for a second time to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he considers sending police and troops into to secure the MH17 crash site.
News Corp Australia has learned that the Prime Minister spoke to Mr Putin overnight.
It is believed that Mr Abbott thanked Mr Putin for supporting the UN resolution but told him he would hold him to his word to help ensure safe and secure access to the area, the Herald Sun reports.
2:30pm
Footage has revealed the dodgy efforts to maintain the crash scene by local rebels before international examiners arrived.
Vice News has released a news report outlining the complexities in maintaining the integrity of the crash site, especially when pro-Russian rebels say one thing, but do another.
“The Russian leadership of the Donetsk People’s Republic has said that they’re not touching the crash site because the international community has asked them to leave it intact for an investigation,” reports Vice News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky.
“But we’ve seen the opposite, we’ve seen people carrying materials away from the site, driving it away.
“We don’t know where it is going and it’s already been contaminated by a number of people who have been walking over it and removing things from it.”
It’s a bit hard to argue with these pictures ...
1:40pm
Air crash investigators are unlikely to safely gain extended access to the MH17 crash site as Ukraine’s parliament approves the call-up of all men under the age of 50 for a military assault on the separatist stronghold in Donetsk, where the crash site sits.
News Corp’s Charles Miranda reports Ukraine ordered a mass mobilisation against the two remaining separatist stronghold cities of Donetsk and Luhansk late yesterday, the latter of which is expected to be conquered by government troops by this weekend.
For the past three days outlaying towns and villages and satellite suburbs of the large cities have been seized back by Ukrainian troops with mixed reports on the number of casualties.
Vladimir Putin yesterday vowed Russia would do “everything in its power” to ensure the investigation can take place — with the Kiev Government interpreting the remark as a sign Russia would further aid the separatists.
1:25pm
British experts analysing the black box recorder on flight MH17 will be able to send details of their findings to the Dutch within 24 hours — giving the experts in the Netherlands further information of the last moments of the doomed Boeing 777 as it fell to earth in eastern Ukraine.
Delivered to the UK for expert analysis, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch headquarters in Farnborough, southwest of London, will now go through the information from the cockpit voice recorder which will give them two hours of pilots’ conversations as well as studying the contents of the flight data recorder (FDR).
Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement late on Tuesday that it was normal procedure to send the boxes, which record cockpit activity and flight data, to the nearest laboratory approved by the United Nations aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“The international investigation team, led by the Netherlands, has decided to pass the black boxes to the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch for forensic analysis,” he said.
12:15pm
As Australia grieves for our 37 victims today, a simple yet compelling series of pictures of Queen Maxima of The Netherlands have captured the overwhelming sense of grief felt by all of us across the globe.
The pictures were snapped as she watched the arrival of the first bodies of flight MH17 to Netherlands. A ceremony was held for the victims in which the queen accompanied her husband King Willem-Alexander and the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The Queen became increasingly emotional as the coffins were loaded into hearses to be driven under police escort to a military base at Hilversum, southeast of Amsterdam. Forensics experts will then identify them.
11:35am
More heartbreaking images from Melbourne's public memorial service honouring the victims of MH17 today.
11:25am
Hundreds of mourners in the Top End have flocked to Darwin for a memorial to honour those killed in the downing of flight MH17, including Wayne and Theresa Baker, and college teacher Emma Bell, who all resided in the Northern Territory.
People joined in song and prayer, including Dutch visitors to the Outback, who had come to honour and remember their lost countrymen, reports the NT News.
11:15am
Meet Australia’s ambassador to The Netherlands, Neil Mules. Turns out he is quite experienced when it comes to disaster management.
11:05am
10:35am
Captured footage of MH17 bodies on the long journey home.
— Shirlee Engel (@ShirleeEngel) July 23, 2014— Shirlee Engel (@ShirleeEngel) July 23, 201410:25am
Prayers have been said for those lost in the MH17 disaster as hundreds gathered in Melbourne to pay their respects.
A multi-faith service at St Paul’s Cathedral has brought together religious leaders from across the city to lead the crowd in prayers for the victims and their families, reports AAP.
“Today we come together to commemorate those whose lives were lost, and to seek assurance and comfort,” Reverend Andreas Loewe told the crowd during the hourlong service.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine read a poem by Henry Van Dyke, an American of Dutch descent, while candles were lit for those who died.
Catholic, Anglican, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish leaders are among those who took part.
10:15am
Monitors from the European security body OSCE and Malaysian inspectors say they have found parts of the fuselage of downed Malaysia Airlines flight 17 with “significant puncture marks”.
“Some of the materials we saw and have photographed feature significant puncture marks to the fuselage, almost a piercing mark,” said Michael Bociurkiw, spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s special mission to Ukraine.
Reporters near the crash site also saw what appeared to be part of the fuselage with puncture marks, resembling the damage left by shrapnel, reports AFP.
10:00am
Two Ukrainian fighter jets have been shot down as violence continues in the contested eastern region of the country.
The Ukrainian Government said it appeared that missiles fired from Russia had brought the aircraft down.
A spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic has claimed responsibility for the attack and tweeted a video that appears to show one of the plane’s flaming wreckage.
Both pilots managed to parachute out of the Su-25 jets, which came down about 45km southeast of the MH17 crash site.
9:45am
Governor-General Peter Cosgrove has made some stirring comments from The Netherlands as he fulfils his solemn duty of guiding home the remains of Australia’s MH17 victims.
Sir Peter joined Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, the king and queen of Holland and thousands of mourners at a solemn ceremony at Eindhoven Airbase, where the first of the 298 bodies were sent from Ukraine overnight.
Sir Peter summed up the mood of the gathering under a clear sky.
“Why is it that such sad occasions often occur on beautiful days?” he said.
He remarked that the dead were nationals of a united humanity.
“So today they were all Australians. And they were all Dutch. And they were all the other nations,” he said.
9:05am
Yesterday, US officials said they had no evidence that Russians were directly involved in the MH17 crash, but overnight they have released new intelligence that tells a different story.
The Obama Administration has detailed what it calls evidence of Russian involvement in the downing of the Malaysian passenger jet, The Washington Post reports.
It has shared satellite images that officials say prove Moscow had trained and equipped the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine who are accused of carrying out the attack.
Here’s the story in a nutshell: Pictures of a Russian military base at Rostov, a Russian city north of Moscow, in the month proceeding attack shows there was more activity on the site. The US say this proves the Russians were training rebels and giving them weapons.
Russia continues to deny its involvement.
9:00am
Insight into the long journey home for the recovered MH17 bodies from journalists at the scene.
A refrigerated truck, believed to be carrying bodies, has arrived at Kharkiv airport under police escort. #MH17 pic.twitter.com/RTy8zduqYD
— Ben Farmer (@benfarmerDT) July 23, 2014Large refrigerated trucks arriving at Kharkiv's Malyshev factory where bodies stayed last night. #MH17 pic.twitter.com/pm2l6ICPMd
— Ben Farmer (@benfarmerDT) July 23, 2014The coffins are now being unloaded from the truck and laid out on the Tarmac in front the military plane that will transport them to Holland
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) July 23, 2014Coffins laid out for a simple tribute before they leave for the Netherlands #mh17 pic.twitter.com/8tBrRxRNxG
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) July 23, 2014The flight home #mh17 pic.twitter.com/RJ9VGIApCN
— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) July 23, 2014Sind am Flughafen Charkiv. Hier werden die ersten Leichen ins Flugzeug gebracht. @BILD #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/VSfJalZBlG
— Paul Ronzheimer (@ronzheimer) July 23, 2014Vor dem Abflug nach Eindhoven findet hier noch eine kurze Trauerzeremonie statt #Charkiv #MH17 pic.twitter.com/lQddXm5UCU
— Paul Ronzheimer (@ronzheimer) July 23, 20148:50am
The Commonwealth Games Malaysian team have worn black armbands to mark the recent crash of MH17 during the opening ceremony.
Meanwhile, The Queen and more than 40,000 spectators paid a moving tribute to victims of the MH17 tragedy by taking part in a minute of silence at the ceremony in Glasgow.
“Almost one-third of the 298 victims were citizens of the Comonwealth,” Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond told the crowd and athletes packed into Celtic Park.
8:30am
Distressed relatives have called the mobile phones of MH17 victims — and they’ve been answered.
The reports appear to confirm that the belongings of people who went down with the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight have been looted.
Several grieving family members dialled the phones in desperation and they were answered by strangers with “Eastern European-sounding voices”, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports.
8:20am
At least 42 people have been killed in a plane crash in Taiwan, officials said, with witnesses and local media reporting the flight came down in a storm after an aborted landing.
Eleven people were reported to have survived, while two French nationals had been confirmed as being on board.
TransAsia Airways flight GE222 was carrying 58 people on a domestic flight when it crashed into houses near Magong airport on the Penghu island chain after requesting a second attempt to land there, local media reported. It had been delayed due to bad weather as Typhoon Matmo pounded Taiwan, according to the authorities.
“We have found 42 bodies and some body parts so far,” an official surnamed Tsai at the Penghu county fire department told AFP early on Thursday
8:00am
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will travel with the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Frans Timmermans this morning to Kiev, to discuss with the Ukrainian Government and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation Europe, the most effective way of securing the rebel-controlled region near Donetsk.
AAP reports they will then continue on to Kharkiv — where bodies are being transported by military planes to the Netherlands — as part of the joint mission.
“I will be travelling to the Ukraine to meet with the Ukrainian leadership to build on the discussions Prime Minister Abbott has had overnight including with the Ukrainians, Dutch and others,” Ms Bishop told media following her attendance at a ceremony for the first 40 bodies of victims arriving back in the Netherlands on Wednesday.
“We must ensure the investigators and those who have the gruesome task of identifying body remains are able to do that in safety. Unfettered, without any tampering from anyone.
“The work that must be undertaken (is) painstaking, long, difficult work. But we will not rest until we have counted every body, every Australian aboard that flight.”
7.35am
Confusion still surrounds the number of bodies recovered from the crash site as contradictory reports filter through officials at the scene.
“During the identification process (in the Netherlands), it will gradually become clear how many people we can identify,” said Esther Naber, spokeswoman for the Dutch forensic investigators, told AAP.
“We feel confident that we have at least 200 bodies. But we don’t know the exact amount because at this stage the (original) bags have not been opened.”
According to Australia’s special envoy in Ukraine, Angus Houston, Malaysian experts failed to locate any bodies or body parts at the crash site on Tuesday.
Yet the European security body OSCE says remains are still being found.
“There were human remains that had not been picked up,” Ukraine mission spokesman Michael Bociurkiw said following a site visit.
An official number of retrieved remains is yet to be announced.
7.20am
“Our pain is intense and relentless. We live in a hell beyond hell.”
This is the devastating message the parents of three Australian children lost on MH17 have shared.
The three children of Anthony Maslin and Rin Norris of Perth — Mo, 12, Evie, 10, and Otis, 8 — perished on the plane when they were returning from a holiday from Amsterdam with their grandfather.
They released a heartbreaking public statement about the incident yesterday afternoon that expressed their grief.
“Our babies are not here with us — we need to live with this act of horror, every day and every moment for the rest of our lives,” they said.
Read the full statement here.
7.15am
Dutch experts investigating the shooting down of flight MH17 over Ukraine say data from the cockpit voice recorder is intact and has not been tampered with.
“The cockpit voice recorder was damaged but the memory module was intact. Furthermore, no evidence or indications of manipulation of the cockpit voice recorder was found,” the Dutch Safety Board said, as the black boxes were being analysed in Britain.
“Tomorrow (Thursday) the team will start the examination of the Flight Data Recorder. This will show whether this recorder also contains relevant information, in which case the data from both recorders will be combined.”
Reuters: Dutch air accident investigators say they have found no evidence #MH17 black box voice recorder was tampered with
— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) July 23, 20147am
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has expressed fears that some of the Australian bodies of MH17 may never be returned home.
He has also canvassed the possibility of sending Australian Federal Police and military personnel to Ukraine to help secure the MH17 crash site, as part of an international task force.
“My fear is that unless we do more, unless we prepare for further possible measures, some of them will never come home,” Mr Abbott said.
6.35am
These are the heartbreaking pictures that brings home the tragic reality of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Thousands of mourners have flocked to a motorway in the Netherlands to view the convoy and pay their final respects to the hearses carrying bodies of victims of the downed plane to Hilversum, where the remains will be examined.
The country has declared a national day of mourning to remember the 193 Dutch who lost their lives when the Boeing 777 was shot down over Ukraine last week.
6.30am
Stay up to date with the latest developments in the MH17 disaster with our live blog, which will be updated throughout the morning.
Originally published as MH17: Latest news and developments from Malaysia Airlines disaster for Thursday 24 July
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