WATCH ABOVE: A sombre ceremony marked the arrival MH17 crash victims’ bodies in the Netherlands.
Forty coffins bearing victims from the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 landed in the city of Eindhoven Wednesday, as the Netherlands marked a national day of mourning.
The country bore a heavy toll when the Boeing 777 was shot down over eastern Ukraine last Thursday – 193 of the 298 killed on board called the Netherlands home.
Two military jets touched down at Eindhoven Air Base, greeted by hundreds of relatives of the victims, Dutch King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and other government officials.
Across the country, flags flew at half-staff and memorials for the victims grew.
From the airport, a convoy of hearses drove under military police escort to Hilversum where forensic experts were waiting to carry out the painstaking task of identifying the remains.
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Rutte said while some bodies may be identified and returned to their families quickly, others may have to wait weeks for a positive identification.
“If I have to wait five months for identification, I can do it,” said Silene Fredriksz-Hoogzand, whose son, Bryce, and his girlfriend Daisy Oehlers died in the crash. “Waiting while the bodies were in the field and in the train was a nightmare.”
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Hundreds of citizens gathered outside the air base and along the procession route.
Dutch officials have taken charge of the stalled investigation of the Malaysia Airlines disaster, pleading for access to the wreckage.
With files from The Associated Press
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