Prosecutors claim that, more than eight years after the catastrophe, all leads have been exhausted.
The inquiry into the downing of Flight MH17 of Malaysia Airlines has been put on hold. As there was insufficient evidence to charge any additional suspects, investigators opted to halt the investigation.
All 283 passengers and 15 crew members aboard Flight MH17 were killed when it was shot down over Donetsk, Ukraine, in July 2014. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport was the destination for the Boeing 777-200ER (9M-MRD) (KUL).
The Joint Investigation Team in charge of the investigation had wanted to establish the identities of people in the chain of command and those in charge of launching the Buk ground-to-air missile, but it conceded that this was not yet achievable.
The inquiry has now reached its limit and all leads have been explored, hence the probe is being suspended, according to a statement made earlier today by the Dutch prosecutor, Digna van Boetzelaer. Insufficient proof to move forward
Three men were convicted of murder in absentia for their involvement in the assault late last year: two Russians and one Ukrainian. The Dutch court came to the conclusion that the men intentionally shot down flight MH17 after mistaking it for a Ukrainian military plane.
It also found that Russia was in charge of the separatist troops engaged in combat in the region at the time, but Russia disagreed with the rulings.
During the most recent hearing, the Joint Investigation team referred to telephone conversations between high-ranking Russian officials and the pro-Russian separatist movement that were recorded, even though it was acknowledged that the recordings did not specifically refer to the weapons used to shoot down flight MH17. As reported by the Joint Investigations Team,
“There is verified information indicating that the president was provided with the separatists’ request and that it was granted. Even though we provide “strong indications,” we fall short of the high standard of “full and conclusive evidence.” In his capacity as Head of State, the President also benefits from immunity.
The Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine are among the nations represented on the Joint Investigation Team that were most severely impacted by the atrocity. In addition to the 15 crew members, 193 of the 298 passengers were from the Netherlands, 43 were from Malaysia, and 27 were from Australia. An unpleasant letdown
The result was a “bitter disappointment,” according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who also stressed that the criminal justice system was not yet finished. He said:
“Since 2014, Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, have demonstrated a pattern of obstruction, deceit, and unfairness that is all too familiar to us. We’ll keep requesting an explanation from the Russian Federation for its part in this catastrophe.
Malaysia Airlines’ financial problems were made worse by the downing of flight MH17, which occurred barely four months after flight MH370 vanished. After reducing its long-haul route network, the carrier now only serves London Heathrow (LHR) as its sole European destination.
