Malaysia team in Kiev as anger mounts over MH17

July 20, 2014 00:00:00

NETHERLANDS : Delta Airlines flight attendants place flowers in front of Schiphol airport Saturday, two days after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 carrying 298 people from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in eastern Ukraine. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (AFP):- A Malaysian team including two air accident investigators arrived in Kiev on Saturday and the transport minister was expected to follow as the Malaysian prime minister appealed for access to the MH17 crash site.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone late Friday to stress the need for an objective, unfettered probe into the crash that killed 298 people, amid concerns the site was vulnerable to tampering.

"I also told Putin that the site should not be tampered (with) before the team begins its investigation," he was quoted saying by national news agency Bernama.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 came down in a separatist-held region, with the United States saying it was shot down in a missile attack, a possible casualty of Ukraine's battle with pro-Russia rebels.

A 62-member Malaysian team arrived in Kiev on Saturday, a member of the delegation told AFP.

It was to include two accredited air crash investigators invited by Ukraine to help probe responsibility for the disaster.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai was due to leave for Kiev later Saturday, the Star daily said.

Though it occurred in rebel territory, Ukraine's government has the authority to investigate the crash, under international conventions.

But concerns have emerged after international observers were blocked or given only partial access by armed rebels.

US President Barack Obama has said evidence indicates a missile was fired from the rebel-held zone.

The disaster has deeply shocked Malaysia, still grappling with the trauma of the March 8 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 with 239 passengers and crew aboard, including 38 Malaysians.

No trace of MH370 has been found, severely damaging Malaysia's image abroad and leaving furious passengers' relatives deeply anguished and demanding answers.

"Wrong target, who committed this atrocity?" leading Malay-language daily Utusan Malaysia said of MH17 on its front page Saturday, echoing the tone of most leading newspapers and Malaysian social media chatter.