M’sia determined to seek justice for MH17 victims

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is determined to seek justice for the victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 which was tragically shot down on July 17, 2014, the Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement, Wisma Putra said Malaysia remained resolute in the pursuit to prosecute those responsible for the act.

It said Malaysia appreciated the presentation by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on the latest report, the way forward on the criminal investigation as well as its related press statements.

“We will study the findings in the report carefully,” Wisma Putra said.

After four years of investigation into the downing of Flight MH17, JIT said the jetliner was shot down by a Russian BUK missile.

In a statement published on its website, JIT said the team was convinced that a BUK missile was used to down MH17, and that it originated from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, which is a unit of the Russian Army from Kursk in Russia.

Wisma Putra said that as a member of the JIT, Malaysia expressed its gratitude for all the hard work of the JIT members that had enabled critical information regarding the tragic incident to be established.

“Malaysia commends the progress on this,” it said.

Wisma Putra said Malaysia had consistently called for and supported a fully transparent, independent and exhaustive investigation process.

Hence, it said, Malaysia reiterated the JIT’s call for the public to come forward to assist in the investigation process and to provide additional supporting evidence against the people directly involved in order for justice to prevail.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families and loved ones of the passengers and crew of Flight MH17.

“We owe it to them to do everything possible to bring closure to this tragic incident,” Wisma Putra said.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board were killed. — Bernama

NEW DELHI: An Indian woman who was bitten by a snake in her sleep and unknowingly breastfed poisoned milk to her daughter has died along with the child, police said.

The 35-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh state did not realise she had been bitten when she woke and breastfed her daughter.

The three-year-old girl and the mother fell ill on Thursday and both died before they could reach hospital, police inspector Vijay Singh said.

The family spotted the snake in another room but the creature escaped.

A post-mortem is to be carried out but police have registered a case of accidental death, the officer added.

India is home to some 300 snake species and 60 are highly venomous, including the Indian cobra, krait, Russell’s viper and saw-scaled viper.

India accounts for 46,000 of the 100,000 snakebite deaths around the world each year, according to a 2011 study by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. — AFP