Volodymyr Hroisman: Finding bodies of every person who died in the MH17 plane crash is our primary task

“As of today we managed to load 192 bodies and 8 body parts of the innocent victims of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flight onto a special train. The train is in Tores, and it is sealed. We finished this task in the morning, however, up until now the train has not left the station, for the terrorists are blocking the way. We are in constant negotiations with them regarding the transportation of the bodies of the victims,” stated Volodymyr Hroisman, the Vice Prime-Minister of Ukraine, Head of the State Commission for the Investigation of the circumstances of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crash.

“In addition, in the recent hours, 27 bodies and 20 body parts were found. These bodies are still at the site, the special refrigerator car has been dispatched. Approaching the site of the crash there is a special train, onto which these bodies and any other bodies which may be found at the site of the plane crash will be loaded, as the search operation continues. I believe that to find bodies of every innocent person who died is our common task.”

“As of today, 200 employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are participating in the search operation, along with 800 volunteers. However, they are working under the constant watch of the armed terrorists,” pointed out Volodymyr Hroisman. “As for the technical specialists and experts from various countries, who are ready to join the investigation at the site of the crash, the main issue at the moment is guaranteeing their safety. Unfortunately, we are not able to guarantee their safety at the moment, and the government of the Russian Federation, despite being addressed multiple times, has not assumed any responsibility and did not provide guarantees. Therefore, the decision to be present at the site of the plane crash belongs to the experts alone as well as to their respective countries. We, on the other hand, are ready to provide them with a plane and deliver them to the closest safe area at any moment,” stated the Ukrainian Vice Prime-Minister.

According to him, on the issue of the plane’s black boxes, at the moment, the representatives of the State Commission for the Investigation of the circumstances of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crash are unaware of their location. It is suspected, however, that black boxes may be in the possession of the terrorists.

Volodymyr Hroisman noted that as for the arrival of the victims’ relatives to Ukraine, there was no official information at the moment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will be coordinating this process, in accordance with requests of and in cooperation with the respective embassies.

Today, Mr. Hroisman and other members of the Emergency State Commission held a meeting with foreign experts who had arrived to Ukraine, including the representatives of the Netherlands and Malaysia. Representatives of other countries interested in participating in this investigation have also been present at the meeting.

“It is important that we hold an objective, independent and professional investigation of this terrorist act,” said the Vice Prime-Minister of Ukraine. “The President of Ukraine and the Prime-Minister of Ukraine constantly control the work of the commission and monitor the investigation. We are closely working with other ministries and services, as well as with the embassies of the countries, whose citizens died during this horrible tragedy.”