KIEV: Malaysia is frustrated with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine for hampering efforts to recover, identify and repatriate the remains of the victims of flight MH17.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said here yesterday (early today in Malaysia) Malaysia was also frustrated that investigators were not being allowed to enter the crash site to find out what happened to the ill-fated flight.
The Ukrainian government has so far recovered 196 bodies, and placed in a refrigerated train which has been stopped in the town of Torez near Grabovo.
However, the train van go no further as it is in an area controlled by the separatists.
"The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) wanted to send 80 people in to the crash site but in the end they were only allowed four people and only for an hour," said Liow.
"A Joint International Investigation Team, which includes officials from the Netherlands, Malaysia, Britain’s AAIB (Air Accident Investigation Board) and the United States’ NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), has been established.
" The Ukrainian government has stated that it has been unable to establish a safe corridor to the crash site for the international team. The Ukrainian government has said it cannot guarantee the safety of the international team in and around the crash site.
"This situation is further hampered by reports that a number of competing separatist groups control the area in and around the crash site, with no clear leader or chain of command."
He said Malaysia was deeply concerned that the international team was effectively being prevented from entering the crash site.
"It is imperative that international investigators and search and recovery personnel are afforded full and unhindered access to this site."
Liow said, regarding reports that separatist groups have custody of the black boxes, Malaysia insists that these crucial pieces of evidence are not tampered with and are handed over to the international team.
"Despite reported comments by the leader of a separatist group that his group has not interfered with the crash site, Malaysia is very concerned that the sanctity of the crash site has been severely compromised."