Who shot down flight MH 17?

A Ukrainian rescue worker passes wreckage of the Boeing 777, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which crashed during flying over the eastern Ukraine region near Donetsk, Ukraine, 18 July 2014. Photo: PAP/EPA/ANASTASIA VLASOVA

298 people have died after Malaysian Airlines flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine on Thursday. Russia and Ukrainian governments have accused each other of shooting down the Boeing 777 as world leaders call for an international investigation, John Beauchamp reports.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has declared that the perpetrators of the crash should stand in front of the International Tribunal in The Hague. Speaking on Friday morning, Yatsenyuk said his government will do everything to bring those responsible to justice.

“We will act only within the boundaries of international law. We will collect all the evidence,” he said, adding that “the world should know the surnames of these criminals and the name of the country which is supporting these bandits.”

Laest figures released by Malaysia Airlines show the plane was carrying at least 173 Dutch nationals, 27 Australians, 44 Malaysians (including 15 crew), 12 Indonesians and nine Britons.

The Netherlands are in mourning, with the Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte ordering flags to fly at half mast on government buildings across the country after what he said might be the worst air disaster in the Netherlands’ history.