After more than a month Malaysia Airlines lost its second aircraft within this year – shotdown on July 17 – the remains of flight MH17’s 30 Malaysian victims have been identified. There were 44 Malaysians onboard the Boeing 777-200ER, including 15 crew and 2 infants, when it was shot down by Russian-made BUK–M1 (SA-11 Gadfly) surface-to-air missile system.
Today, the remains of 20 Malaysians victims return home on board a special flight MH6129 (Registration No: 9M-MPS). The Malaysian Airlines’ Boeing 747 departed from Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport at 9.40pm Malaysian time (Thursday) and touches down at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 9:55am Malaysian time (Friday). Today is the day of mourning for the Malaysian victims of MH17.
[ Special flight MH6129 touches down at KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) ]
[ Flight MH6129’s door opened to deliver the 20 coffins, after flown from Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport ]
Among those who were awaiting the remains at the Bunga Raya Complex here were the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Cabinet ministers and their deputies, opposition MPs, ambassadors, senior enforcement personnel and Government officials, and the next-of-kin of the victims.
[ A Malaysia Airlines staff check the coffins, all draped with the Jalur Gemilang ]
The mood was sombre as the caskets and urns, all draped with the Jalur Gemilang, were lowered from the aircraft by Malaysian Armed Forces personnel. Apparently, the urns were that of three of the 20 remains – that of passenger Ng Lye Ti and crew members Lee Hui Pin and Angeline Premila Rajandran – had been cremated in the Netherlands and is now being brought home.
[ Malaysia Airlines crew members hold flowers as they wait outside Bunga Raya Complex at Kuala Lumpur International Airport ]
[ MH17 was shotdown at Ukraine by Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people on board ]
The remains of 13 victims would be brought to their final place of rest in hearses while those of 7 would be flown to their respective states on C130 aircraft or EC725 helicopters. Friday has been declared a national day of mourning in Malaysia, and the one minute of silence will be observed any time between 10.30am and 11.15am as a mark of respect for the victims.
[ The first coffin was unloaded from special flight MH6129 ]
[ Malaysian soldiers carrying the first of the 20 coffins to the waiting hearses, as the nation mourns ]
The sixth coffin bearing the remains of MH17 passenger Foo Ming Lee was then brought out, follows by other passengers – Karamjit Singh Kernail Singh, Ng Qing Zheng, husband and wife Mabel Anthony Samy and Paul Rajasingam/Sivagnanam (their 9-year-old son Matthew has yet to be identified).
[ The mood was sombre as soldiers carry the coffins into white hearses ]
Next were the urns with the cremated remains of MH17 passenger Elisabeth Ng Lyeti, and two cabin crew – Lee Hui Pin and Angeline Premila Rajandaran. The fourteenth coffin was of passenger Ariza Ghazalee and that of her eldest son Muhammad Afif Tambi (Ariza’s husband and three other children have yet to be identified.
[ The urns with the cremated remains of MH17 passenger Elisabeth Ng Lyeti, and two cabin crew – Lee Hui Pin and Angeline Premila Rajandaran ]
[ The last coffin was carried into a hearse before its journey to the burial site ]
[ A heart breaking moment to see such a convoy of hearses ]
[ A MAS crew couldn’t hold her tears as the bodies of her colleague arrive home ]
[ A terribly sad day in Malaysia Airlines history – crew couldn’t help with the reality that their colleagues have gone ]
A minute’s silence was observed simultaneously nationwide at 10.55am as the last of the 20 caskets was lowered from the special Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH6129 and placed in the waiting white hearses. Just like in Holland about a month ago, the sight of a convoy of white hearses carrying the remains of MH17 victims was absolutely heart breaking. The hearses will continue their route to various destinations for their final and proper burial.
[ Family members burst into tears as their beloved son or daughter’s body finally return home ]
In the meantime, millions of Malaysians pay their respect with a moment of silence. The mood was sombre as family members awaiting the arrival of their deceased family members’ bodies at Sultan Azlan Shah airport in Ipoh, as well as motorists who stopped over at Penang Bridge observing a minute of silence for MH17. Welcome home MH17 – it’s indeed a very sad day.
[ Family Members Waiting at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport ]
[ Doing their part – Motorists pay moment of silence at Penang Bridge ]
[ Reaction from relatives of the victims of the MH17 disaster, during a minute’s silence ]
[ MAS crew and staffs pay their respect with white flowers ]
[ This is too much – emotional relatives cry as the mood was too sombre ]
[ A relative (center) of a victim of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 disaster prays as the plane carrying victims’ remains arrives ]
[ Malaysia Army personnel receive the body of Dora Shahila Kassim in a local mosque ]
[ A family member covers his face with his hands, in great sadness ]
[ Farewell – Hearses leave Kuala Lumpur International Airport ]
Other Articles That May Interest You …
- At Last, The MH17 Victims Get Their Dignity As First Bodies Arrive In Holland (Photo)
- The Return Of Black Box & Bodies, Thanks To “Secret Diplomacy” Or Was It “Money Diplomacy”?
- Move Over Obama, Cameron, Najib – Let The Real Chief President Rosy Takes Care Of Putin
- Here’s How Russian-Made Buk Missile Systems Shot Down Flight MH17, In 9.86 Seconds
- Flight MH17 Shot Down – Malaysian Leaderships Put To Test, Again (Photo)
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August 22nd, 2014 by financetwitter
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