The 298 victims of the MH17 plane crash were commemorated on Sunday, eight to that date, in Vijfhuizen by reading their first names. That is of great importance, said chairman Piet Ploeg of the MH17 Flight Disaster Foundation in his speech at the commemoration. “If your name is no longer mentioned, you will be forgotten and never will.”
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. At the commemoration, relatives read out the names and ages of the passengers, who all died in the plane crash. Among them were 196 Dutch.
During his speech at the National Monument, Ploeg discussed, among other things, the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is also a relative of the plane crash with flight MH17. According to him, the relatives have repeatedly realized over the past period that their loved ones were the first non-Ukrainian victims of a war that actually started in secret eight years ago.
He also discussed the MH17 criminal case against three Russians and a Ukrainian for shooting down the plane. The verdict is expected in November or December.
Finally, Ploeg spoke about the procedures, including at the European Court of Human Rights. According to him, these are part of the search for truth, justice and responsibility, but take a very long time. “Certainly also because of the continuous opposition from Russia. But one day justice will prevail.”
A trumpeter during the memorial.
A trumpeter during the memorial. Photo: ANP
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Commemorations have been in modified form for the past two years
According to the Public Prosecution Service, pro-Russian separatists are responsible for deploying the buk missile that brought down the plane.
It was Sunday for the first time since 2019 that relatives were able to attend the commemoration again, after adjusted commemorations due to the corona virus in 2020 and 2021. “It was again impressive and emotional to hear the names of our loved ones and to think of them again. Ploeg said at the end of the commemoration.
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