Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says the Malaysian Airlines crash investigation will be based in the city of Kharkiv

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Andrii Sybiga, Director General for the Ukrainian foreign ministry’s Consular Service, said: “Today, the first meeting was held of the committee investigating the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 crash in Donetsk oblast [region] and plans were drawn up to coordinate the work of various for government bodiesinvolved in the investigation. The investigation will have an international dimensions as the victims wereforeign citizens. So far 181 bodies have been discovered. Ukrainian experts [from Ukraine’s emergency ministry who were Friday July 18 allowed into the crash site by separatists] are working in close cooperation with international specialists. It is planned that the bodies will be transferred to Kharkiv, where facilities for identifying victims will be set up.”

Help will be given to the families of the deceased to obtain visas to enter Ukrainian territory. There will be special facilities for relatives of victims at Kyiv’s main Boryspil Airport. Volunteers will also lend psychological support. The government has already created 24/7 operative headquarters and telephone hotlines for help and consultations:
+38044 279 62 06, 238 16 57, fax +380 44 253 11 24.
E-mail: [email protected]

There are also crisis response units at the Embassy of Ukraine in Malaysia (Phones: +603 21669552, +6016 2614707, fax +603 21664371.
E-mail [email protected].

The Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands (Phone +31 (70) 3626095, fax +31 (70) 3615565.
E-mail: [email protected][email protected]
For further Press information: +380 50 157 8159 & +380 50 157 8423