Dutch Investigators concluded in a press conference in Nieuwegein, Netherlands that Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down by a Buk Missile brought from Russia. The investigation also says that the Buk Missile was shot from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.
On July 17, 2014, the Malaysia Airlines MH17 Flight took off from Amsterdam en route to Kuala Lumpur. The plane crashed near Grabova, Ukraine at around 1320 GMT. The tragedy killed 298 people aboard.
The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that there was “irrefutable evidence” that a Buk launched 9M38 missile shot down the Malaysian Flight which was on its way to Kuala Lumpur. “Communications intercepts showed that pro-Moscow rebels had called for deployment of the mobile surface-to-air weapon, and reported its arrival in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine,” said Wilbert Paulissen, head of Dutch Central Crime Investigation Department.
The Joint Investigation Team, which include representatives from Australia, Belgium, Ukraine, and Malaysia, said that there conclusions were based on a wealth of supporting evidence. The evidences includes forensic examinations, satellite images, radar data, intercepted calls, and witness statements.
Russia, after being accused, immediately rejected the investigation and said “the whole story is unfortunately surrounded by a huge amount of speculation and unqualified, unprofessional information.”
Investigators are now trying to find out the answers to some questions like who gave the order to smuggle the Buk missile and who gave the order to shot the MH17 flight.
Wilbert Paulissen also said “MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 series missile, launched from a Buk-Telar. This Buk-Telar was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation, and after launch was subsequently returned to Russian Federation territory.”
Russia has consistently denied the allegations. The Russian Military said that it has new radio-location data that show the missile that downed the flight did not originate from rebel-controlled territory.
According to the investigation, witnesses near the launch site reported hearing “a very loud noise” and “a high whistling sound.”. They have also seen a plume of smoke. Evidences like Witnesses, photographs, and video also claimed that the Buk came from Russia escorted in a Volvo truck along with several other vehicles.
“The conclusions by the working group on the crash of the Malaysian Boeing are extremely politicised. I don’t believe any of their conclusions,” stated Leonid Slutsky to RBC newspaper. He is the newly appointed head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia’s parliament.
The investigators were unable to say how long their further investigation will take. The investigators said that “the work is going on with all the countries and our best people” but we can’t make any promises on how long would it take.
