MH17: Malaysian team take cover as shootings erupt at crash site

Members of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Special Investigating Team, headed by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, which arrived at the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) MH17 crash site in Donestk, Ukraine Monday, could not enter the area due to shooting incidents.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the team, comprising 21 officers, were still unable to enter the crash site to start searching for case evidence following an exchange of fire between Ukraine troops and the separatists.

"Although the PDRM team had successfully reached the crash site, operations to search for case evidence have yet to start due to the exchange of artillery fire between Ukraine forces and the separatists," he said in a statement, here today.

For safety reasons, the separatists did not allow the PDRM Special Investigating Team to carry out search works for the moment.

"The team could only take cover near the crash site beside the road, while waiting for the situation to be more stable and safe," he said.

Ahmad Zahid said that the national security team had informed that throughout the journey to the crash site, they had been heavily guarded by the authorities, and found much destruction around the area due to the war.

The flight MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed in Donetsk, east Ukraine near the Russian border on July 17.

The Boeing 777-200 which was carrying 298 people - 283 passengers and 15 crew members - was believed to have been shot down but so far, no one had claimed responsibility for the heinous act.

Forty-three Malaysian nationals were among the passengers and crew of the aircraft.