Credits: AP Images
Relatives of the 298 passengers who lost their lives aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 gathered solemnly at Australia’s Parliament House on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic event. The flight, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014, claiming the lives of 38 Australian citizens and permanent residents, including Roger and Jill Guard, doctors from Toowoomba.
Paul Guard, son of the deceased couple, expressed deep sorrow as he reflected on the ongoing conflict that ultimately led to the missile attack. “I don’t think anyone intended to bring down a passenger plane. So in that sense, I’m heartbroken that the conflict continues,” he shared in an interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC). “But I think that a lot of families would really have just liked an acknowledgment that what happened was wrong and that Russia should not have been waging war.”
The tragedy occurred amid escalating conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has since evolved into a full-scale war following Russia’s invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. The region where the fatal missile was launched, controlled by pro-Russia rebels at the time, is now under Russian military control.
Despite international condemnation and a Dutch court’s conviction of two Russians and a Ukrainian in absentia for murder in connection with MH17, Moscow has consistently denied responsibility and refused to cooperate with legal proceedings.
Australia and the Netherlands, along with other affected nations, continue to pursue justice through international legal channels. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong reaffirmed this commitment during the commemoration ceremony, condemning Russia’s withdrawal from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) proceedings in June. “The case will continue, and we will not be deterred in our commitment to hold Russia to account,” Wong declared.
Simultaneously, a memorial service was held near Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands, where 298 trees were planted—one for each victim—and sunflowers, reminiscent of those found at the crash site, adorned the monument. Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus represented his country at the ceremony, emphasizing Australia’s determination to seek justice through the ICAO despite Russia’s resistance.
