(19 Jul 2014) UKRAINE OFFICIALS ARE ACCUSING RUSSIA OF HELPING SEPARATIST REBELS DESTROY ANY REMAINING EVIDENCE AT THE CRASH SITE OF A MALAYSIA AIRLINES PLANE SHOT DOWN ON THURSDAY.
REBELS DENY THE CHARGE AS DOZENS OF VICTIMS' BODIES STILL LIE IN BAGS BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN REBEL-HELD TERRITORY.
FLIGHT 17 FROM AMSTERDAM TO KUALA LAMPUR WAS CARRYING 298 PEOPLE FROM 13 DIFFERENT NATIONS WHEN IT WAS SHOT DOWN IN EASTERN UKRAINE CLOSE TO THE RUSSIAN BORDER...
AN AREA THAT HAS SEEN MONTHS OF TURMOIL BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND PRO-RUSSIA SEPARATISTS.
THE MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT FEARS THAT THE MH17'S CRASH SITE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY SECURED AND THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE SITE IS NOW COMPROMISED.
SOUNDBITE (English) Liow Tion Lai, Malaysian Minister of Transport:
"There are indications that vital evidence has not been preserved in place, interfering with the scene of the crash risks undermining the investigation itself."
SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Andriy Lysenko, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council:
UKRAINE OFFICIALS ALSO SAID AT A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE PRO-RUSSIA REBELS ARE NOT ALLOWING INVESTIGATORS TO COLLECT AND TRANSFER THE EVIDENCE..AND RESCUE GROUPS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING UNDER THE THREAT OF ARMED REBELS.
MEANWHILE, RELATIVES OF VICTIMS FROM THE CRASH HOLD OUT HOPE FOR THE RETREIVAL OF ANY REMAINS OF THEIR LOVED ONES
SOUNDBITE (English) Arina, Relative of MH17 Passenger
"anything...anything, find his remains and his things, you know.."
LEADERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE INSIST THE REBELS GRANT INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS ACCESS TO COMPLETE A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
EMILY ROSEMAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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