TORONTO – A grieving Dutch father has penned an open letter to those responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Hans de Borst’s daughter Elsemiek was among the nearly 300 victims of the Malaysia Airlines plane downed over Ukraine last Thursday.
The letter was translated to English and posted on de Borst’s Facebook page over the weekend.
The father called his only daughter his “loved and only child,” and described all of the things his daughter had planned to do after graduating high school.
READ MORE: Who are the victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17?
De Borst said his daughter was travelling with her younger brother, mother and stepfather when she was “shot out of the sky, in an unknown country, where there is a war going on.”
“I hope you’re proud to have shot her, amongst other, young life and future,” the letter goes on to say.
“Thank you very much mister Putin, leaders of the separatists or the Ukraine government!
For murdering my loved and only child, Elsemiek de Borst!
She was 17 years old, 5th “gymnasium” student at the “Segbroek College” in Den Haag.
And she was on her way to her holiday in Maleisië together with her little brother, her mom (my ex-wife) and her stepfather.
Elsemiek would have done her final school exams next year, together with her best friend Julia and Marina, she did so good in school!
After that she wanted to go to the “Technical University Delft” to study engineering, she was looking forward to it!
But suddenly she is not here anymore! She has been shot out of the sky, in an unknown country, where there is a war going on!
Aforementioned misters, I hope you’re proud to have shot her, amongst other, young life and future. And that you will be able to look at yourself in the mirror tomorrow morning.
I hope you will receive this message, maybe translated in English (what you as a intelligent gentleman could read just fine)
Thanks again!
Regards, Elsemieks father Hans de Borst from Monster, The Netherlands, whose life is ruined!!
PS mister Putin, I hope that your intense conversation with our prime-minster Rutte opened your eyes!
I know you are impressed by this and I would find it impressive if you took the initiative to guard the crash-sight with the Russian military, so the Dutch investigators can do their job.
Thanks in advance.”
On Tuesday, the remains of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines crash arrived in territory held by the Ukrainian government on their way to the Netherlands.
Ukraine has agreed to send all remains to the Netherlands for identification and forensic investigation.
READ MORE: Grieving mother of MH17 victim to Putin – ‘Send my children home’
Of the 298 who died, 193 were Dutch citizens. One Canadian was among the victims.
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