New Dutch Mission Heads to Eastern Ukraine to Probe MH17 Crash

The aim of the Dutch mission’s two week on-site probe is to collect evidence relating to the cause of the crash, according to a statement published on the Public Prosecution Service website on Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Netherlands sent another investigative mission to eastern Ukraine to research the crash of Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH17, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service said in a statement.

Flight MH17 crashed in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk in July 2014 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board the Boeing 777, including 196 Dutch citizens, died.

An international group of experts backed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commissioned the investigation.

The Dutch Safety Board investigating the crash published a preliminary report last year stating the plane fell apart in midair after being hit by numerous high-energy objects. A final report is due in October.

The Kiev government and Western nations accused independence supporters in eastern Ukraine of firing a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile at the airliner.

Earlier in June, Russian arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey unveiled the results of its own inquiry showing that the type of Buk missile alleged to have been fired at flight MH17 has not been produced in Russia since 1999, but remains in service in the Ukrainian army.