Another six MH17 victims identified, 20 remaining

With six new victims of the MH17 flight disaster in eastern Ukraine being identified this week, a total of 20 victims still remains unidentified, the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice announced on Friday.

The six new identifications bring the amount of identified persons to 278. During the crash on July 17 this year a total of 298 people died, of which 196 had the Dutch nationality.

Of the six new identifications, five persons had the Dutch nationality. At the request of the embassies of the other countries concerned, the specific nationality of the non-Dutch victims was not made known.

The Netherlands leads the identification process of the MH17 crash victims. On July 23 the first aircraft with remains and bodies of the victims arrived at Eindhoven Airport, followed by several other flights. The coffins were brought to the Corporal Van Oudheusden barracks in Hilversum for the identification.

It is uncertain if remains of all victims are currently in Hilversum.

On Aug. 5 the Netherlands stopped the recovery and repatriation mission on the crash site in eastern Ukraine until further notice due to the deteriorating security conditions in the area. Therefore currently no new remains can be found or transported to the Netherlands.

The Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice once again emphasized on Friday that it may take more time before every victim will be identified.

On Nov. 10, the Netherlands will hold a national memorial day for the victims of the crash. King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima will attend the National Remembrance MH17 in Amsterdam.

On Friday the Dutch cabinet announced that all flags at government buildings should be at half-mast that day. Provinces and municipalities are advised to do the same, but are not obliged. It is not a national mourning day, which was already held on July 23.