Memorial for MH17 victims

FAMILIES of those killed in the MH17 tragedy will gather in the Netherlands today to remember the 298 people who died when their plane was shot down over Ukraine.

Relatives of the 38 Australians who died will be among those who will gather at a park near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to mark the three-year anniversary of the atrocity, which happened on July 17, 2014.

A memorial to the victims, a forest of trees in the shape of a memorial ribbon, will be formally opened, and families will remember and honour their loved ones, and inspect the trees planted in their honour.

Dutch royals King WillemAlexander and Queen Maxima will lay flowers, and Prime Minister Mark Rutte will attend.

The shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 as it made its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was believed to have been carried out by pro-Russian rebels fighting against the Ukrainians.

Australia’s 38 citizens and residents included retirees, a Catholic nun, three children and their grandfather and young adventurers returning from European holidays.