Malaysia Airline Settles Damage Claims with Families of MH17 Victims

18th Jul 2016

Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) has settled damage claims for the majority of victims of MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine two years ago. 

Veeru Mewa, a lawyer representing some of the victims said the parties have agreed to secrecy and that:

Talks are still ongoing for the rest of the victims’ relatives.

James Healy-Pratt, whose law office represents some 30 families, confirmed the “confidential nature” of the settlement, saying that 85 per cent of the claims against the airline had been settled “on confidential terms”.

According to the Montreal Convention 1999, MAB has to pay damages of up to $145,000 to victims’ families, regardless of how the crash happened. In its final report, issued last year, the Dutch Safety Board has come to the conclusion that Flight MH17 was shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air BUK missile.

The plane crashed in a pro-Russian separatists-controlled territory, but neither side has accepted responsibility for the crash, switching blame back and forth. In July, the European Union has extended its economic sanctions against Russia, because of this country’s apparent lack of progress in resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Chief monitor for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for Ukraine, Ertugrul Apakan said the MH17 tragedy was proof of the heavy toll civilians pay in armed clashes. In a statement, Apakan said:

The memory of those who perished is a reminder to us all that peace is precious and life sacrosanct.

Vigils Held in Ukraine and Netherlands

Vigils for the victims of the disaster were held in Petropavivlka, near the site of the plane site, where some 60 people have gathered.

Natalia Voloshina, Village council head said:

Some of the relatives of people who were killed phoned us and asked us to find things that were valuable to them, for example, the toys that belonged to children aboard.

A memorial service was also held in the town of Vijfhuizen, near the Schiphol Airport, from where MH17 departed for Kuala Lumpur. Hundreds of relatives have gathered for the service to read the names of the 298 victims, 165 of which were from the Netherlands itself.

MAB Issues Media Statement

A private rememberance ceremony was held at KLIA. The event was attented by family members of the MH17 crew as well as Malaysia Airlines employees.

MAB statment said:

The private gathering of the Malaysia Airlines family, in honour and memory of our crew members who lost their lives during this tragedy, was led by MAB’s Chairman Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof.  Also in attendance were MAB’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Peter Bellew, members of the Board of Directors and members of staff across all divisions of the company. Our thoughts and prayers go to the crew and passengers of MH17 and their family members.