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'Many' More Human Remains Found At MH17 Crash Site


Dutch and Malaysian investigators and local authorities work, at the MH17 crash site near the village of Hrabove on April 16.
Dutch and Malaysian investigators and local authorities work, at the MH17 crash site near the village of Hrabove on April 16.

Dutch investigators say they have recovered "many" more body parts and pieces of wreckage after returning to the site of the MH17 plane crash in eastern Ukraine.

All 298 passengers and crew onboard the Malaysia Airlines jetliner -- most of them Dutch -- died when it was shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014.

The Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement that along with human remains investigators also found jewellry, passports, and photographs from passengers.

The latest recovery operation began last week in Petropavlivka, about 10 kilometers west of Hrabove, where most debris from the Boeing 777 passenger jet fell.

Ukrainian officials and many in the West believe the plane was shot down by pro-Russian separatists -- who have been fighting Ukrainian forces for the past year -- with a BUK surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia.

Moscow rejects that explanation and says Ukraine is ultimately responsible.

Based on reporting by AFP and Newsweek.com

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