Australian capital to host MH17 permanent memorial

Australia is planning to install a permanent memorial for the victims of the MH17 disaster. The memorial will be located at the Parliament House in Canberra. The country will also hold a public memorial service on July 17th, to mark the one year anniversary of the disaster, The Australian reports. "We took the family of MH17 into our hearts a year ago. I hope that this service might help to sustain them as they face this very, very difficult anniversary", Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told parliament. "Anniversaries are always difficult times so we will continue to stand with all who lost so much and are now rebuilding their lives." Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17th last year. 298 people were killed, including 196 Dutch citizens and 39 Australian citizens. The investigation into the disaster is still in full swing. The repatriation part of the mission was finalized late in April, with the final remains of victims arriving in the Netherlands on May 2nd. The mission is now focused on finding and prosecuting those responsible for the disaster. A team of Dutch police officers and Defense employees is currently in the Ukraine on a mission aimed at gathering evidence.