Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by a Buk missile over eastern Ukraine. Investigators said the missile was fired from a field 6 kilometers, south of the town of Snizhne. The area was said to be under the control of pro-Russian separatists.
The investigation is led by the joint investigation team (JIT). The investigators said at a press conference in the Dutch town of Nieuwegein that there was "irrefutable evidence" that a Buk 9M38 missile is responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 where 298 people on board were killed.
The investigators include representatives from Australia, Malaysia, Ukraine and Belgium. The conclusions were based on a wealth of supporting evidence including forensic examinations, witness statements, satellite images, radar data and intercepted telephone calls. Around 100 people are yet to be identified who can be linked to the downing of Flight MH17, according to the report of The Guardian.
The Dutch-led investigators are still in pursuit of examining who gave the order to smuggle the Buk system into Ukraine. JIT also included the possibility whether the plane was shot down by a military aircraft or if there was a terrorist attack on board of the flight. Forensic examinations also gave clues that there were fragments of Buk missile that were found in the MH17's pilot and crew during autopsies.
The prosecutors are still seeking a clearer view of the issue around the chain of command: "Who ordered to transport the Buk, who ordered the MH17 to be shot down, if the crew took their own decisions, or were they operating on instructions from above?". They also believe that there is a good chance of bringing the perpetrators to justice. However, the investigators are not about to make any statement about the involvement of Russia in the downing of Flight MH17.
Russia dismissed the findings and repeatedly denied its involvement in the downing of the plane. Igor Konashenkov, Russia's spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said in a statement, "None of the missile complexes, including Buk have ever crossed Russian-Ukranian border." He also added on his statement, "All data presented today is based upon two sources - the internet and Ukranian security services. That's why the objectivity of this data, and so of all the conclusions made based on it leaves us with doubt", reported by CNN.
Meanwhile, the family members of the victims of the downing of Flight MH17 are grateful for the investigation and that Russia has "to do some explaining" about the issue. Nearly 200 of the people on board were Dutch citizens.
