MH17: Flight victims' arrive home in full honour

A specially chartered Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH6129 bearing the registration 9M-MPS the victims' remains left Amsterdam at 9.40pm yesterday (Malaysian time) and arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 9.54am today.

The next-of-kin had all gathered at the KLIA Bunga Raya Complex early this morning. This was followed by the arrival of dignitaries which included the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as well as Members of Parliament (MP) from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

"Last month, 43 Malaysian lives were taken over Eastern Ukraine. Today we mourn the loss of our people. Today, we begin to bring them home.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives. Today we stand with you, united as one," said Najib Razak in a statement.

Many MAS employees and flight attendants also gathered at the Bunga Raya Complex holding flowers to pay their last respects to those who perished on board the ill-fated flight.

With the arrival of flight MH6129, the cargo segment of the flight opened to reveal coffins draped in the Jalur Gemilang at 10.15am.

Twenty white hearses bearing military number plates began entering the tarmac.

A total of 300 military personnel from the 12th Infantry Brigade were on duty today to ensure that the remains were treated with utmost honour and dignity.

At 10.20am, pall-bearers took their position to bring the first two coffins to the hearse.

A minute of silence was observed nationwide as the final coffin was placed into the hearse at 10.54am.

Soon after observing the minute of silence, the hearses left KLIA towards their destinations. Fourteen coffins were driven towards the Hercules C130 and helicopters nearby which will fly the victims to their hometown for burial.

A total of 43 Malaysians were among the 298 killed when the Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight was shot in Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.

The West has accused Russian-backed rebels responsible for the attack, while Moscow blames Ukraine.

All around the country, Malaysians donned sombre-coloured attire as a sign of respect to those who perished. Flags in government offices, companies, embassies and schools were flown at half-mast.

In its statement today, the United States Embassy in Malaysia said: "The people of the United States stand with the people of Malaysia at this time of national mourning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost in MH17."

Meanwhile, MAS, still reeling the loss of Flight MH370 on March 8, observed a company-wide mourning for those who perished in MH17 tragedy.

Black ribbons were distributed to its cabin crew while the company's flag has been flying at half-mast.

In PENANG, about 500 people gathered at the lobby of the state government centre in Komtar to participate in the official mourning for MH17 victims, of which five were Penangites -- stewardess Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh, steward Sanjid Singh Sandhu, Captain Eugene Choo Jin Leong, Azrina Yaakob, Elaine Teoh and Jenny Loh Yan Hwa.

Jenny, who owns a restaurant in Amsterdam, was on board the flight with her mother Tan Siew Poh and Hong Kong-born husband Fan Shun Po.

In George Town, traffic from the mainland heading towards Penang Island came to a halt at the Penang Bridge toll plaza for the one minute of silence today in remembrance of victims of the MH17 tragedy.

In IPOH, Sultan Nazrin Shah arrived at the the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport at 11.52am to receive the remains of two Perak-born victims in the downed airliner -- stewardess Chong Yee Pheng and Noor Rahimmah Mohd Noor.

The remains of co-pilot Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi and stewardess Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh, meanwhile, were brought to the Putra Mosque, Putrajaya as family members and MAS crew joined in the prayers.

Present to witness the funeral proceedings there was Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

"Indeed, this is an emotional time for all Malaysians, and I am personally touched by the outpouring of support and prayers, both during today’s solemn ceremony marking the national day of mourning and in the Netherlands when the first remains arrived," he said in a statement today.

For Karamjit Singh Kernail Singh, his cremation was held at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Shah Alam.

At Astro AWANI, we share in this deep grief.

The sorrow we endure can never be as deeply borne by those among kin.

We may never know them, or be acquainted in any way; but we feel the pain.

Kin, colleagues and friends who await their return have lost loved ones near and so very dear. This loss is as much ours, as it is theirs.

Those who succumbed – are not just a roll-call of names, mere statistics or just a row of numbers.

They reside deep in our memory.

Join us in expressing condolences to the passengers and crew of MH17.