Malaysian Airlines: Dutch investigators shown bodies of crash

(Vatican Radio) Dutch investigators have been shown some of the bodies of the 298 victims of last week’s plane disaster, close to the area in eastern Ukraine where the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane is believed to have been shot down.  It comes amid mounting frustration over the way pro-Russian separatists in the area have been removing bodies and evidence from the crash area.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:

Dutch investigators said they were told by pro-Russian separatists that a train containing the remains of most of the nearly 300 victims would leave the rebel-held town of Torez as early as Monday.

“I am expecting the train to leave today. I think it is in everyone's interest that the victims will be identified," said  Peter van Vliet, a Dutch victims identification expert. He believes that at least most victims will be identified. 

TRAIN KHARKIV

Ukrainian authorities were hoping the train would be able to transport the bodies to the city of Kharkiv, about 320 kilometers (200 miles) away, where facilities have been set up for relatives to stay and autopsies  

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arsenyi Yastenyuk has pledged to support a Netherlands-led international investigation.

“(The) Ukrainian government is ready to transfer an international investigation to our Dutch friends; (the) Dutch side could lead the process of investigation together with the entire international community,” he said.

Yatsenyuk also told reporters in Kyiv that he has no doubt the plane was shot down by what he called “professionals”.

Kyiv has accused Moscow of supporting pro-Russian separatists with heavy weapons - charges Moscow denies.

The United States said earlier it had obtained evidence suggesting that the Malaysia Airlines plane had been brought down Thursday by a missile fired by pro-Russian separatists with Russian training.   

DUTCH FRUSTRATED

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has expressed frustration about the time it takes to bring the human remains home.

Most of the victims, nearly 200 of them, are Dutch nationals.

He urged Russia to use its influence over the separatists who are believed to have removed the plane's so-called black boxes with crucial flight information and other key evidence.

He said he made it crystal clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia should use its influence.

Rutte added that if access to the crash site remains inadequate, “all political, economic and financial options” are “on the table”, despite the Netherlands’ being a major investor in Russia.

Rutte, along with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Dutch Queen Maxima, later joined a special meeting with relatives of those who in what the prime minister has called "probably the worst air disaster in his nation's history."

The king later addressed his nation, expressing his sorrow over the crash.