MH17 crash: Investigations to continue till 2016

Prime Minister Najib Razak on Saturday said that the investigations into the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine last year will continue till the end of 2016.

He said the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) now has a clearer picture of the cause of the tragedy, the Malaysian Star reported.

"They are scrutinising and investigating all possible scenarios in detail," he said during a memorial marking the first anniversary of the tragedy at Kuala Lumpur International Airport's Bunga Raya Complex.

The Boeing 777-200, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed on July 17 last year in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, some 60 km from the Russian border, in the zone of combat operations between the pro-Russian seaparatists in Donetsk and the Ukrainian army.

Najib said the criminal investingation into the crash in Ukraine was still going on to ensure those responsible would face justice.

He added that all possible ways to prosecute those responsible were being considered.

As for the technical investigations, he said the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) was expected to publish their final report in October.

Some 1,000 people, including the next-of-kin, foreign dignitaries, ministers and Malaysia Airlines management and crew attended the memorial.