MH17 wreckage ‘stolen’ and moved to Russia

Nations that lost citizens in downed flight MH17 have been told wreckage has been stolen.

Part of the MH17 fuselage found in a wooded area in Ukraine by investigators.

Representatives of those nations that lost citizens in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine last July have been told wreckage has been stolen and moved to a museum in ­Russia.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was this week called to a meeting of the 17-strong group of what has become known as the “grieving countries” and told by her Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkin, that a media report about the wreckage having been stolen was true.

Ms Bishop said she asked Dutch investigators and The Netherlands government to ­investigate the claim as a matter of urgency and, if true, to demand the wreckage be returned.

She also urged all the nations involved to determine how those ­responsible could be found and brought to justice.

The crash killed all 298 passengers and crew aboard MH17, including 38 Australian citizens or residents.

A Russian report has claimed an examination of the stolen section of the aircraft supported Moscow’s assertion that MH17 was downed by a Ukrainian jet fighter. Western investigators have ­rejected that claim and say the damage to the aircraft is consistent with it being hit by a long-range surface-to-air missile.

Mr Klimkin told the group his government had photographic evidence suggesting the report of the theft was true, Ms Bishop said.

He said it appeared that a section of the plane had been provided by residents near the crash site to Russian-backed rebels and then moved to a museum in Russia. The museum is focused on Russian military achievements during World War II.

“For those (Russian) claims to have any credibility, they’ve go to hand over evidence,” Ms Bishop said. “Clearly there’s a level of ­urgency about is. We want the ­investigations concluded as soon as possible and we want the ­reports so we can then consider the options. So if there is a piece of the plane that has been taken to Russia, it must be returned.”

A team of Dutch and Australian investigators is at the crash site looking for wreckage and the remains of two Dutch passengers still missing.

A Malaysian representative said the wreckage belonged to his nation and Malaysia wanted it returned.

“The fact that we are still sending experts to search for wreckage means that any piece of the plane could potentially be relevant to the investigation,” Ms Bishop said.

“We owe it to the families to pursue those responsible as quickly as possible and get the perpetrators of the crime before a tribunal.”

Ms Bishop said she had not seen any evidence to contradict the intelligence provided at the time of the disaster that MH17 was shot down by Moscow-backed separatists or Russians working with the separatists.