Dutch PM thanks relatives of MH17 victims for patience, trust

Exactly one year after the MH17 flight disaster in eastern Ukraine, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday expressed his "heartfelt gratitude" to the relatives of the 298 victims during a remembrance ceremony in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine on July 17 last year on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, including 196 Dutch citizens. Two victims have not been identified yet. Still there is no absolute clarity on the cause of the crash.

"In addition to the pain you were already feeling, I realize that incredible demands have also been placed on your patience and trust over the past year," Rutte said in his speech.

"After the grief and the intense sense of loss, the long and complex aftermath is one of the most difficult things to cope with," Rutte added. "The recovery of the remains and the wreckage, the investigation into what exactly happened, and everything that still needs to be done in order to do right by your loved ones."

The private memorial service in Nieuwegein was attended by around 1,300 survivors from home and abroad, who composed the program themselves. During the ceremony the names of all the victims were read.

All main buildings of the government on Friday flew the Dutch flag at half-mast. At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport there was also a small memorial, where people could leave flowers, just like last year.

The commemoration was organized by the MH17 Aviation Disaster Foundation, founded in November 2014.

Foundation chairman Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his son, daughter and parents-in-law in the crash, said that a memorial service for relatives of the MH17 victims will from now on be held every year.

"It is good to remember," Van Zijtveld stressed. "We will never forget our loved ones and must never forget this disaster."