Flight MH17: Angus Houston fears no justice forfamilies

The man who oversaw Australia’s response to the MH17 crash says it will be hard to bring those responsible to justice.

‘As for finding someone ­accountable, that might be difficult,’ says Angus Houston. Picture: Gary Ramage.

The man who oversaw Australia’s response to the destruction of ­Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine says it will be hard to bring those responsible to justice.

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston told The Australian the investigation into the downing of MH17 was going “pretty well”.

“I think they are finding out quite a bit about who was respon­sible,” he said. “But as for finding someone ­accountable, that might be difficult given the political realities around it.”

It is widely believed that the airliner was destroyed by a Russian missile fired by Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine or by Russian technicians working with the separatists.

The former Australian ­Defence Force chief was speaking before he was to deliver the University of South Australia’s annual Hawke lecture in Adelaide. He told of the emotional pain he felt several weeks ago as he prepared to speak at a service for the Australians killed aboard MH17.

When he was asked to oversee the investigations into the crashes of first MH370, possibly off Western Australia, and then MH17 he knew he had to override his own emotions. “When you’re working you best suppress your feelings ­because you have to do the job,” he said. “But when you reflect in quiet moments, that is not easy to do. These are two tragedies, both in terrible circumstances and of unspeakable proportions.”

For Sir Angus the toughest ­moment came at the service in Canberra marking the anniversary of the downing of MH17. He was left so choked that he feared he would not be able to make his speech. “I found that incredibly hard,” Sir Angus said.