Fragments found at the MH17 crash site possibly belong to Russian-made missile

Investigators examining the fate of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 expect a recent discovery to provide them with a strong lead into the investigations, which will help them find out those responsible for the crash last year in Eastern Ukraine. Investigators claim to have discovered fragments at the site where the crash took place, which they think possibly came from a Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile.

According to Dutch public prosecutor Fred Westerbeke on Tueday, the investigators are examining seven fragmented pieces of significant sizes and they suspect that there is a strong possibility that these fragments may have come from a BUK surface-to-air missile.

The Dutch Safety Board and the prosecutors said in a joint statement that during a previous investigation at the site where the doomed aircraft landed, the investigators recovered the fragments in question and sent them under the possession of the criminal investigation team and the Dutch Safety Board. However, it has not yet been confirmed by the investigators whether the fragments found at the crash site have anything to do with the downing of MH17.

"It's too early to say that the fragments we found were, for instance, from the BUK rocket that possibly shot down MH17," Westerbeke told state broadcaster NOS.

But the discovery will play a notable role in unearthing the mystery clouding the unfortunate crash of the aeroplane and finding out who is actually behind it. The statement from the Dutch Safety Board and the Joint Investigation Team said the fragments “can possibly provide more information about who was involved in the crash of MH17.”

The Joint Investigation Team overlooking the investigation process consists of members from Australia, Netherlands, Ukraine, Malaysia and Belgium. These are the countries that have suffered greater loss due to the crash.

The passenger jet carrying 298 people, 38 of whom were Australians, was shot down on July 17 last year during a fight that ensued between the pro-Russian separatist groups and the Ukrainian government forces. Ukraine and other western countries have blamed the Russian-backed rebels of downing the passenger jet, a Boeing 777 flight. Russia and the rebels, on the other hand, have denied the allegations and are pointing fingers at the Ukrainian military.

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