MH17 black boxes to be sent to UK for analysis: Malaysia

Russian rebels had handed over the boxes to Malaysian officials

Malaysia today said the black boxes from Flight MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine last week, will be sent to British aviation investigators for forensic analysis.

The international investigation team led by the Netherlands has decided to pass the black boxes, which record cockpit activity and flight data, to the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said it was a normal procedure for black boxes to be sent for analysis to the nearest laboratory authorised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

"The black boxes will therefore be flown to Farnborough, United Kingdom, accompanied by Malaysian experts and other members of the international investigation team," he said in a statement here.

Liow said this decision was taken after pro-Russian rebels controlling the crash site handed the boxes over to Malaysian officials following an agreement between Prime Minister Najib Razak and separatist commander Alexander Borodai.

"Following the agreement, Prime Minister Najib Razak brokered with rebel leaders (in eastern Ukraine), Malaysia has taken custody of flight MH17's black boxes. As the Prime Minister said, they will be passed to the international investigation team for analysis," he said.

Flight MH17, with 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board, was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine last Thursday.