Guterres reiterates call for accountability ten years after downing of flight MH17

He General secretaryAntónio Guterres, remembers the 298 people who died ten years ago in “the tragic collapse” of flight MH17 Malaysian Airlines over conflict-affected eastern Ukraine, the UN spokesman said in a statement.

The Boeing 777 was en route from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down near the Russian border in an area controlled by pro-Russian rebels on July 17, 2014.

All 283 passengers and 15 crew members, representing some 16 countries, died. The passengers included 196 Dutch citizens, according to the Dutch government.

UN chief’s appeal

“On the tenth anniversary of the tragic downing of flight MH17 Malaysian Airlines “In eastern Ukraine, the Secretary-General sadly remembers the 298 victims who lost their lives,” the statement said.

“In full solidarity with the families of the victims and in honour of their memory, the UN leader renews his call to all States to provide their full cooperation in accordance with resolution 2166 of the United Nations. Security Counciladopted in 2014, to ensure that those responsible are held accountable, following the important work of the independent Joint Investigation Team,” he continued.

Resolution 2166 calls for a full, thorough and independent investigation into the incident.

The Joint Investigation Team, led by the Netherlands, was set up in August 2014 and included countries affected by the accident, including Australia, Malaysia and Belgium, as well as Ukraine.

In May 2018, that group determined that the missile system used to shoot down the plane came from a Russian brigadeAt the time, Russia said there was no evidence to support the findings.

Trial in Holland

The Netherlands has prosecuted four people in The Hague, including three Russians and a Ukrainian, for shooting down flight MH17 and killing everyone on board. They were tried in absentia, as both the Russian and Ukrainian constitutions do not allow extradition.

Preliminary hearings began in March 2020 at the District Court of The Hague. The trial concluded in November 2022 and three defendants were found guilty, while the fourth was acquitted.

Since the crash, the war in Ukraine has escalated following the start of a large-scale Russian incursion in February 2022. More than 11,000 people have died so far.