Russia ready to help Malaysia probe MH17 crash — defense minister

Russia September 10, 2014, 13:46

Sergei Shoigu added that the results of the crash probe should be made public

MOSCOW, September 10. /ITAR-TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry is ready to help Malaysia investigate the Malaysian Airlines Boeing crash in eastern Ukraine, Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.

“We are ready to give all the necessary assistance and support to investigate the crash causes,” Shoigu told his Malaysian counterpart, Hishammuddin Hussein.

Shoigu added that the results of the crash probe should be made public.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sergei Shoigu said Ukraine bore full responsibility for the tragedy with the Malaysian passenger jet, which had crashed in Ukraine less than two months ago.

The Russian minister added that the tragedy with the Malaysian airliner could have been avoided if Ukraine resolved its issues without the military involvement.

“Access to crash site impossible”

Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has declared that the situation in the area of the crash of the Malaysian Boeing remains dangerous, and that access to the crash site is impossible, the Star on-line portal quoted the minister on Tuesday.

The defense minister said that at a meeting with Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Ihor Kabanenko the two sides reached an agreement that an international commission of representatives of Australia, Malaysia and the Netherlands should be guaranteed safe access to the crash site as soon as possible.

Results of the preliminary investigation

The possible cause of Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 777-200 crash in Ukraine July 17 is “structural damage caused by a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside”, the preliminary report conducted by the Dutch Safety Board and released on Tuesday, September 9, said.

A Boeing-777 of the Malaysia Airlines (flight MH17) en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on July 17 in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Region, some 60 km 9 over 37 miles) from the Russian border, in the zone of combat operations between the Donetsk self-defense forces and the Ukrainian army. All the passengers and crewmembers onboard the aircraft - 298 people - died. Most of the passengers - 196 people - were Dutch citizens.

According to the report, all data collected from the cockpit recorder, the flight data recorder and the traffic control suggested that the flight proceeded normally until 4:20 p.m. local Ukrainian time (13:20 UTC), when it was suddenly lost.

The report also said that as of yet it was not possible to hold the detailed study of the wreckage as the investigation still continues, but numerous images showed that remains of the aircraft were pierced in numerous places.

Chairman of the Dutch Safety Board Tjibbe Joustra said that the findings presented in Tuesday’s report were preliminary and the investigation’s final report would be published by mid-July next year.

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