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11/02/2024 11:24:17 am

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Ukraine Leaks Result from MH 17 Black Boxes as Fighting Put Investigation at a Halt

MH 17 crash site

(Photo : REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev) Investigators need to examine the MH 17 crash site and secure physical evidence, but heavy fighting in the area Monday prevented them from going there for the second day in a row

As ground fighting continues in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine has started leaking information about the ongoing investigation by British experts of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17's flight and voice data recorders, called black boxes.

According to Ukraine officials, MH17 had gone down due to sudden loss of pressure after shrapnel punctured the fuselage. 

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The Ukrainians claim they acquired the information from the British experts who are conducting the analysis of the plane's black boxes. Dutch investigators, who are in charge of the investigation as a whole, refused to comment on the Ukrainian information.

Earlier, experts said results from this examination of the black boxes will only reveal the technical data at the time of probable explosion, not what actually caused it or who pulled the trigger. However, voice recording from the cockpit might have been able to pick up the sound of a missile exploding. 

The pro-Russian separatist the Ukrainian Army are blaming each other for the tragedy, and no one has come forward to claim responsibility.

The Dutch investigators aim at publishing a more detailed report later this week, but this may be delayed as they still could not enter the crash site because of heavy fighting.

Yesterday, a combined Dutch-Australian police unit was once again prevented in getting to the crash site.

The delegation could only get as close as 30 kilometer from the site to the town Shakhtarsk.

"We are sick and tired of this," Alexander Hug, deputy head of the OSCE team in Ukraine said to Reuters. 

The physical evidence is necessary to get closer to what actually happened when MH17 was blasted out of the sky and 298 people killed.

It is believed that there are still human remains lying with the wreckage that need to be repratriated.

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