It’s a day that’s etched within the reminiscence of many individuals: July 17, 2014. Ten years in the past on today, flight MH17 was shot down above Jap Ukraine. Kin commemorated the 298 victims on Wednesday afternoon on the Nationwide Monument in Vijfhuizen. “It was very emotional. I cried like a baby,” says relative Paul Marckelbach.
Paul from Nuenen misplaced his mom, sister, brother-in-law and two nephews within the MH17 catastrophe. Wednesday’s commemoration was very emotional for him. “I had purchased 5 bunches of flowers. The second I put them down, I broke down. That is when all of the emotion got here out. I cried like a baby,” he says after the commemoration. “It was lovely and it made an enormous impression on me.”
In the course of the commemoration, there have been speeches by the brand new Prime Minister Dick Schoof and by Piet Ploeg, the chairman of the survivors’ basis Stichting Vliegramp MH17. All 298 names of the victims had been additionally learn out. Paul’s son learn out three names. “I’m very happy with that. I’m glad he did that. I feel his nephews, aunt and grandmother can be happy with him.”
“Ten years in the past already? No, to us it solely appears like ten years in the past.”
Bart and Jeanne Hornikx from Goirle had been additionally current on the commemoration. They misplaced their solely daughter Astrid and her boyfriend Bart Lambregts from Roosendaal within the catastrophe. “She hasn’t been house for ten years. The loss is just getting worse,” says Jeanne.
“Ten years in the past already? No, for us it solely feels ten years in the past. It appears like yesterday.” For these two dad and mom, the annual commemoration stays an necessary second. “Definitely the second when the names of the deceased are learn out,” says Bart. “It’s good that that is repeated yearly.”
The presence of the king, former prime minister Mark Rutte and new prime minister Dick Schoof additionally supplied help. “We had a pleasant dialog with the king. He sympathizes with us very a lot,” says Jeanne. Mark Rutte was initially not presupposed to be current, however he finally sat among the many relations. “Mark had already mentioned he wouldn’t come, as a result of he didn’t wish to get in the way in which of his successor, but it surely was good that he was there,” Bart provides to his spouse.
“I grew up musically, however after the catastrophe I wasn’t in a position to take heed to music for a couple of years.”
Anton Kotte from Eindhoven misplaced his son Oscar, daughter-in-law Miranda and grandson Remco within the catastrophe. Anton is on the board of the survivors’ basis and he helped set up the commemoration. “I hope they favored it,” he says. For him too, it was a day filled with emotion. “My youngsters have been gone for ten years and I’m nonetheless alive. I feel that could be very unfair. And that feeling comes again on a day like at the moment.”
In between the speeches, music by Beethoven and Edvard Grieg was performed. “I grew up musically, however I could not take heed to music for a couple of years after the catastrophe,” says Anton. “Fortunately, this got here again a yr and a half in the past. I’ll live shows once more, in order that’s signal. I can specific lots in music.”
Paul Marckelbach’s story will also be seen within the Omroep Brabant documentary MH17: 10 years later – Whenever you’ve misplaced all the things.
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