MH17 relatives hoping for the truth
The relatives of people killed in the MH17 disaster are hoping to finally find out the truth of who was behind the attack on Wednesday. The Joint Investigation Team will tell the relatives about developments in the investigation at 11:00 a.m., followed by an international press conference at 1:00 p.m. Rumor states that the JIT will reveal the name of four suspects. "We look forward to that", Silene Fredriksz from Rotterdam said to the Telegraaf.
Silene and her husband Rob lost their 23-year-old son Bryce and his 20-year-old girlfriend Daisy when MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014. "We want only one thing: the whole truth and justice", Silene said to the newspaper. "But punishing the direct culprits from Russia in particular is not our only goal. We want all those who were negligent to be held accountable. Why did Ukraine keep the dangerous airspace above the war zone open? Why did Malaysia Airlines and KLM and other airlines actually fly there?"
"After five years, we finally want answers and prosecution of the perpetrators. We have been waiting for so long. We want to know everything, how, why, by whom? Our children went on vacation and basically disappeared. We couldn't even get their bodies back", Silene said. "Even if it was a wrong target, it remains murder."
"It is very hard that Bryce and Daisy and all the victims aren't coming back. When we heard the disastrous news almost five years ago, we couldn't believe it. We still can't", Silene said to the newspaper. "We are stuck in a nightmare. Which you can't actually escape. But the full truth could bring some relief."