SEPANG, September 19 – The remains of three more victims in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 tragedy, including of two siblings, arrived home today and were given full military honours at the Bunga Raya Complex of the KL International Airport (KLIA).
A somber and gloomy atmosphere filled the air when the caskets containing the remains of Muhammad Afzal Tambi, 17, and that of his sister, Marsha Azmeena, 15, as well as of cabin crew Shaikh Mohd Noor Mahmood, were brought down from a commercial flight from Amsterdam, Holland.
Present to give their last respects to the victims were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman and relatives of the victims concerned.
A few of Shaik Mohd Noor’s family members were clad in black T-shirt with the words ‘In our heart cabin crew Shaikh Mohd Noor 17.07.14’ written on it.The ceremony to honour the victims started as soon as the aircraft came to a halt at the Bunga Raya Complex at 8.30 am.All three caskets, wrapped with the national flag, Jalur Gemilang, were lowered from the aircraft at 8.40 am and then carried by pallbearers in full military uniform to three hearses.
Following which, the one-minute silence was observed before the hearses were driven past the tents where the VIPs and relatives of the victims were seated. After the ceremony ended, the remains of Afzal and Marsha Azmeena were transferred to a Royal Malaysian Air Force C130 and flown to Kuching, Sarawak.
Afzal, Marsha Azmeena and two other siblings, as well as their parents, Tambi Jiee and Ariza Ghazalee, were among 43 Malaysians who perished in the MH17 crash in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Shaikh Mohd Noor’s remains would be buried at the Sungai Jati cemetery, Kampung Jawa, Klang.Flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17 as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew on board.The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is believed to have been shot down over the troubled country.
There were 43 Malaysians onboard, where the identities of 41 victims (26 passengers and 15 crew) had been ascertained. So far, the remains of 36 Malaysian victims had been repatriated from the Netherlands.
Two days ago, Liow said forensic experts in the Netherlands had also identified the remains of Liew Yau Chee, Tan Siew Poh, Meling anak Mula, Matthew Ezekial Sivagnanam and Lee Kiah Yeen, but the release of the remains had yet to be announced by the Dutch authorities.
– BERNAMA
