Three years on: MH17 suspects may be tried in absentia

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Monday marks the third anniversary of the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 conflict-torn eastern Ukraine. Three years on, questions still abound and no conclusion has been reached as to who downed the Boeing 777, killing all 298 people on board.

On Sunday, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop reaffirmed her country's support for Dutch authorities to prosecute suspects responsible for the crash, adding that the perpetrators may be tried in absentia.

Earlier this month, the Netherlands announced that any suspects in the crash would be tried in a Dutch court.

A relative of an Australian victim of the MH17 flight reacts before placing a floral tribute at a memorial outside Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, July 17, 2015. /VCG Photo

On July 17, 2014, the plane was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpa when it broke up in mid-air over east Ukraine.

Among the 298 victims, 193 were Dutch nationals, 43 came from Malaysia and 38 were Australian.

Some Western countries and media blamed Ukrainian rebels and ultimately Russia for the disaster, but Moscow denied any involvement and pointed at Kiev.

'Best possible option'

Bishop described the Dutch-led prosecution as the "best possible option," as attempts to set up an international court over the incident were blocked by Russia in 2015.

The trial may have to be held in absentia, she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Her comments came days after Malaysia's transport minister expressed hopes that the suspects would be identified by the end of the year.

The wrecked cockpit of the MH17 flight. /VCG Photo

The Australian foreign minister called for "all states to cooperate to ensure that those responsible for the killing are brought to justice."

She added, "We will work as hard as we can to ensure that the families of those who were killed do receive justice and can have some closure after this atrocity that occurred three years ago."

The King and Queen of the Netherlands will open a memorial in Amsterdam on Monday in remembrance of the victims.

Who were the perpetrators?

The crash of the plane took place amid an armed confrontation between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.

In September 2016, a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of aviation experts and investigators from the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine stated that the flight was shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile, which was allegedly launched from a rebel-controlled village and approached the plane from the east.

The report also claimed that the missile launching system was delivered from Russia and then returned to Russia after the incident.

A Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said that the MH17 flight was shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile, in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, September 28, 2016. /VCG Photo

Moscow has repeatedly disputed the findings, criticizing the investigation for lack of evidence and political bias towards Kiev.

Oleg Storchevoy, head of the Russian aviation regulator Rosaviatsia, said last month that "nothing approached the plane from the east side ahead of the disaster" and accused the Dutch side of trying to "mislead the public," according to a report by RT.

Given the different stances held by Russia and the Netherlands, it is hard to say how far Moscow will cooperate with a Dutch court if prosecutors name Russian suspects or request information, a Reuters report noted.

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