Ukraine rebels hand over MH17 black boxes, call ceasefire
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Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday handed over two black boxes recovered from the crash site of the MH17 jet to Malaysian officials at a press conference.
They also announced a ceasefire within a 10 kilometre (six mile) radius around the crash site to allow international investigators to safely access the vast area where the Malaysia Airlines flight was downed Thursday.
"We have decided to hand the black boxes over to Malaysian experts," the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Alexander Borodai, told journalists.
The Malaysian team of experts and representatives of the separatist group then signed a protocol before the bright orange boxes were handed over.
"On behalf of the Malaysian government I thank the government of the Donetsk Republic for handing us the two black boxes which are the property of Malaysia," said a member of the Malaysian team.
"We have not found the black boxes from flight MH370 (disappeared over the Indian Ocean in March), so are happy to be able to recover these.
"I see that the black boxes are intact with only minor damage."
One of the boxes will contain all conversation in the cockpit and another all flight data.
However, it is unclear how useful this will be in determining what happened to the flight, which is believed by Kiev and world leaders to have been shot down by a surface-to-air-missile.
The Russia-backed separatist rebels who control the area where the plane went down are suspected of having fired the missile, however they blame the Ukrainian military.
There has been an outpouring of global outrage over lack of access to the site, and fears the rebels have tampered with evidence.
Borodai gave in to demands for a ceasefire to allow investigators full access to the site.
"We will order a ceasefire in a area of 10 kilometres around" the site of the disaster, which left 298 people dead, he said.
Malaysian officials were accompanying a refrigerated train transporting the remains of the passengers to the town of Kharkiv, controlled by the government in Kiev.
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday handed over two black boxes recovered from the crash site of the MH17 jet to Malaysian officials at a press conference.
They also announced a ceasefire within a 10 kilometre (six mile) radius around the crash site to allow international investigators to safely access the vast area where the Malaysia Airlines flight was downed Thursday.
"We have decided to hand the black boxes over to Malaysian experts," the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Alexander Borodai, told journalists.
The Malaysian team of experts and representatives of the separatist group then signed a protocol before the bright orange boxes were handed over.
"On behalf of the Malaysian government I thank the government of the Donetsk Republic for handing us the two black boxes which are the property of Malaysia," said a member of the Malaysian team.
"We have not found the black boxes from flight MH370 (disappeared over the Indian Ocean in March), so are happy to be able to recover these.
"I see that the black boxes are intact with only minor damage."
One of the boxes will contain all conversation in the cockpit and another all flight data.
However, it is unclear how useful this will be in determining what happened to the flight, which is believed by Kiev and world leaders to have been shot down by a surface-to-air-missile.
The Russia-backed separatist rebels who control the area where the plane went down are suspected of having fired the missile, however they blame the Ukrainian military.
There has been an outpouring of global outrage over lack of access to the site, and fears the rebels have tampered with evidence.
Borodai gave in to demands for a ceasefire to allow investigators full access to the site.
"We will order a ceasefire in a area of 10 kilometres around" the site of the disaster, which left 298 people dead, he said.
Malaysian officials were accompanying a refrigerated train transporting the remains of the passengers to the town of Kharkiv, controlled by the government in Kiev.
Pro-Russian rebels hand over two MH17 black boxes to Malaysian investigators in Ukraine after days of negotiations
- Malaysian PM Najib Razak said boxes were handed over in Donetsk
- Black boxes likely to be passed onto experts for analysis
The MH17 black boxes have been handed over to the Malaysian investigation team in Ukraine, it was revealed last night.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the boxes were handed over to the Malaysian team in Donetsk at 9pm Ukraine time.
The small handing over ceremony has finally solved the question as to what had happened to the two vital devices.
It was not immediately known what the Malaysian team would do with the black boxes, but there was speculation they would pass the boxes on to experts with experience of reading the data.
Ukrainian workers load the remains of victims onto a truck at the main crash site of the Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines flight MH17
Malaysian PM Najib Razak revealed that in recent days the team had been working quietly behind the scenes to establish contact with 'those' - a reference to the rebels - in charge of the MH17 crash site
Mr Razak and his wife visit families of victims of Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash at Marriot Hotel Putrajaya
Mr Najib revealed that in recent days the team had been working quietly behind the scenes to establish contact with 'those' - a reference to the rebels - in charge of the MH17 crash site.
The contact was finally made - but he made it clear it had not been easy.
'Under difficult and fluid circumstances, we have been discussing the problems that have occupied us all - securing vital evidence from the aircraft, launching an independent investigation and above all recovering the remains of those who lost their lives.'
There had been a breakthrough, he said.
'We have established the basis of an agreement to do just that,' he said in a reference to overdoing the problems.
'Firstly, the remains of 282 people, currently in Torez, will be moved by train to Kharkiv, where they will be handed over to representatives from the Netherlands.
'The train will depart this evening Ukraine time and will be accompanied by six Malaysian members of the recovery team.
'The remains will then be flown to Amersterdam on board a Dutch C130 Herculates, together with the Malaysian team.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, sits in an aircraft cockpit of the Progress State Research and Production Space Centre (also known as TsSKB-Progress) in Samara, Russia
Forensic experts at the crash site of the Malaysia Airlines Boeying 777 flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, near the village of Grabovo
Mr Najib said, in reference to his own citizens, that following any necessary forensic work, the remains of Malaysian citizens will then be flown home to Malaysia.
It is expected the same process will follow for the citizens of other countries.
The Prime Minister said that in another breakthrough an independent international investigation team would be guaranteed safe access to the crash site to begin a full investigation.
'I must stress that although agreement has been reached, there remain a number of steps required before it is completed,' said Mr Najib.
'There is work still to be done, work which relies on continued communication in good faith. Mr Borodai and his people have so far given their co-operation.
'I ask that all parties continue to work together to ensure that this agreement is honoured; that the remains of our people are returned, that the black box is handed over, and that the international team is granted full access to the site.
'Only then can the investigation into MH17 truly begin; only then can the victims be afforded the respect they deserve. We need to know what caused the plane to crash, and who was responsible for it, so that justice may be done.
'In recent days, there were times I wanted to give greater voice to the anger and grief that the Malaysian people feel. And that I feel. But sometimes, we must work quietly in the service of a better outcome.
'I understand that for the families, nothing can undo this damage. The lives taken cannot be given back; the dignity lost cannot be regained.
'My heart reaches out to those whose loved ones were lost on MH17. We hope and pray that the agreement reached tonight helps bring them a clear step towards closure.'
Ukrainian State Emergency Service employees search for bodies among the wreckage at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, near the village of Grabove
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