Rebels ‘not found black boxes and not touching crash site’
The pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine say they have not found the black boxes belonging to the downed flight MH17 and have not touched the site, leaving many bodies exposed to the elements.
Separatist leader Aleksander Borodai, the president of the self-styled Donestk People’s Republic said his fighters had not found the flight’s black boxes and that he was worried about the worsening conditions for the bodies of the passengers and crew.
“Bodies of innocent people are lying out in the heat. We reserve the right, if the delay continues … to begin the process of taking away the bodies. We ask the Russian Federation to help us with this problem and send their experts,” said Borodai.
He told a news conference that he did not know why experts had yet to arrive at the site. “Maybe this is because Ukraine or the Ukrainian authorities are not interested in an objective investigation.”
‘Compelling evidence’
Meanwhile, the Ukrainians have said they have “compelling evidence” that the Malaysian flight was downed by a missile system operated by Russian citizens.
Ukrainian counter intelligence chief Vitaly Nada told a news conference that “we have compelling evidence that this terrorist act was committed with the help of the Russian Federation. We know clearly that the crew of this system were Russian citizens”.
As both sides argue over who is responsible for the disaster and its aftermath, the German government revealed that Chancellor Angela Merkel had been having discussions with Vladimir Putin over the phone, during which she urged him to use his influence with the separatists to arrange a ceasefire.
Both leaders agreed that diplomats from OSCE, Russia and Ukraine were all needed to reach a truce.
‘Terrible accident’
They also agreed that an “international and independent commission” should get quick access to the crash site of the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane in east Ukraine.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has warned Putin that the “world’s eyes are on Russia to make sure she delivers” on her obligations to the victims killed in the Ukraine plane disaster.
Hammond said it was increasingly likely that the cause of the “terrible accident” was a missile fired from separatists in Eastern Ukraine.
Flight MH17 was crashed from high altitude at 5.15pm local time on Thursday and crashed near the village of Torez. On board were 298 passengers and crew.
The last two of the 10 British victims who died in the disaster were named on Saturday as John Allen and Andrew Hoare.
Among the others were Robert Ayley, Cameron Dalziel and Richard Mayne. Also named were Ben Pocock, Glenn Thomas; and Stephen Anderson, as well as friends Liam Sweeney and John Alder.
