MH17 The investigation into the MH17 crash incident in eastern Ukraine has now reached 50 per cent based on the evidence gathered at the crash site and accounts from eyewitnesses, said Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid ( right ) said besides the victim's personal belongings, the international investigation team had also found the ill-fated plane's cockpit at a poultry farm, near the crash site.
"The preliminary investigation found shrapnel from the cockpit, but the investigation team will probably take three more weeks to remove the remnants of the aircraft from the crash site," he told reporters at the KL International Airport in Sepang yesterday upon his arrival from Ukraine.
Ahmad Zahid said the investigation team had still not found the bodies of the rest of the victims, hence the search had been extended to the lake area nearby.
He said a team of 10 divers from the Netherlands, Australia and Malaysia was scouring the lake area for the missing bodies or body parts.
"The search operation at the lake started at 7.30am, local time yesterday, but the divers have not found any evidence or the body of any crash victim there," he added.
62 bodies not found yet
Sixty-two bodies have not been found yet since the Malaysia Airlines plane on flight MH17 crashed at Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, near the Russian border, while on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17.
Ahmad Zahid said the investigation team was only allowed one and a half hour at the crash site and the probe zones had been expanded from four zones to six.
"Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar had tried but was also only allowed to be within a 20km radius of the crash site for one and a half hour.
At the moment, there are 87 officers and members of the Royal Malaysian Police stationed in Soledar, Ukraine to continue with the investigation.
Asked whether the remains of the Malaysian MH17 crash victims would be brought home together or in stages, Ahmad Zahid said this would depend on the decision of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
The Boeing 777-200 carrying 298 people - 283 passengers and 15 crew members - is believed to have been shot down by a missile but so far, no party has claimed responsibility for the heinous act.
Among the 298 onboard the aircraft were 43 Malaysians.
- Bernama
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