Kuala Lumpur, Sep 18 (IANS): Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai Thursday said that Dutch forensic experts have identified the remains of five more Malaysians who were on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which crashed in Ukraine.
Liow said the remains were that of Liew Yau Chee, Tan Siew Poh, Meling Mula, Matthew Ezekial Sivagnanam and Lee Kiah Yeen, The Malaysian Star reported.
“The release of the remains is yet to be announced by the Dutch authorities,” Liow said in a statement.
Liow said 224 MH17 passengers have been identified so far, with 74 victims still in the process of being identified.
“Of the 44 Malaysians on board, the remains of 41, comprising 26 passengers and 15 crew members, have been identified,” he said.
Liow also announced that the remains of three victims would be arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Friday morning.
“This will mark the fifth arrival of remains repatriated to Malaysia,” he said.
“As per previous arrivals, our fellow citizens will be accorded full military honours.”
“Malaysia will continue to work closely with our international partners, particularly the government of Netherlands, to ensure that the remaining victims will soon be reunited with their families,” Liow added.
Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein tweeted that despite only three Malaysian victims not accounted for, the Malaysian team was still pushing to go in for a “final sweep” of the crash site before winter sets in.
The Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over separatists-controlled eastern Ukraine July 17, killing all 298 on board.