‘ Surface- to- air missile used to shoot down MH17 flight’

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 9: Military intelligence and debris from the crashed MH17 flight indicate that it was a surface- to- air missile that was used to shoot down the plane, Malaysian defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Saturday.

“It was a surface- to- air missile, and such a system could either be available to the Ukrainians or rebel forces,” Mr Hussein was quoted as saying by the Malaysian Star.

Mr Hussein’s remarks were based on military intelligence and from investigating the remains of MH17.

It was earlier reported that certain intelligence analysts had concluded that the plane was shot down by an air- to- air missile, and that the Ukrainian government had something to do with it. The Boeing 777 came down with 298 people, including 43 Malaysians, onboard in a separatist- held region of Ukraine, with the United States claiming it was shot down in a missile attack, a possible casualty of the Kiev government’s battle with pro- Russia rebels.

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

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines on Saturday said it has begun contacting the next of kin of those aboard flight MH17 to initiate the advance compensation payment process.

“We have taken steps to arrange for contractual benefits to which our crew are entitled to be explained and paid to their next of kin, together with a further goodwill payment to help meet the current needs of their families,” the Malaysia airline said on Saturday.

The airline said the payment of advance compensation would not affect the families’ right to claim compensation according to the law at a later stage, but would be calculated as part of the final compensation, state- run news agency Bernama reported.