NEW YORK, December 7 (Sputnik) – The wreckage of downed MH17 airliner will arrive at an air base in the Netherlands in coming days and be photographed, scanned and categorized as part of a crash probe, the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) said in a statement.
“The first transport to the Netherlands comprises several sealed trucks and two covered low-loaders. Upon arrival at the air force base, the transport will be unloaded in accordance with a fixed protocol and all wreckage components will be photographed, scanned and categorized following a fixed procedure,” the board said in a statement to media on Saturday, adding that the investigation of the wreckage and preparation for the reconstruction will take place in a designated hangar cleared especially for this purpose.
“Access to the facilities will be restricted to the investigators for the duration of the activities,” the statement said.
Relatives of the crash victims will be allowed to view parts for the wreckage at some point next year, the group added. Further details of the convoy’s arrival – including exactly which day it will reach Gilze Rijen Air Base in the Netherlands – will be announced later.
“The arrival of the wreckage at the air force base will not be of a ceremonial character and those attending will not be permitted to be present during the opening or unloading of the trucks,” DSB said.
On July 17, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. A preliminary report said it most likely broke up in mid-air after a large number of high-energy objects penetrated the fuselage.
Kiev has accused separatists in eastern Ukraine of shooting the plane down, but a full investigation has yet to be completed. Local militia leaders say that they do not have weapons capable of striking a jet flying at 32,000 feet.
