All news

Head of DPR says Dutch side responsible for delay of investigation into Boeing crash

Alexander Zakharchenko said the republic had provided transport and security, which guarantees preservation of the airplane’s wreckage.

DONETSK, November 16. /TASS/. Head of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Alexander Zakharchenko said the Dutch side was responsible for the delay of investigation into the accident with the Boeing plane, which crashed near Donetsk in July.

“We shall continue saying we have made everything necessary for objective investigation into the accident with the Boeing plane. We are ready to offer whatever is required. Everything connected to the delay with the investigation is on the Dutch side, which is claiming to be settling some problems,” he told reporters on Sunday.

He said the republic had provided transport and security, which guarantees preservation of the airplane’s wreckage.

“We are only waiting for the Dutch side to act. I hope they realise the weather conditions are getting worse and everything should be done [removing the wreckage] promptly before frosts,” he said.

The Malaysia Airline Boeing-777 jet en route from Dutch city of Amsterdam to Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur crashed in war-torn eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on July 17, killing all 298 on board. As many as 196 making the majority of passengers were Dutch citizens.

The work on removing wreckage of the airplane became possible as on Saturday, November 15, representatives of the Netherlands, OSCE and DPR signed a protocol. Before that, the Dutch side refused to sign the document claiming it did not support some of the provisions in it.