‘The world has forgotten us’: MH17 disaster haunts victims’ families, 10 years on
- Unresolved pain lingers for the loved ones of MH17 victims, their cries for justice echoing through a world that has seemingly moved on
But a decade later, the families and victims are still grappling with unimaginable grief – slowly trying to rebuild their shattered lives in the harrowing aftermath.
Disturbing images and disinformation surrounding the tragedy continue to resurface online, making it painfully difficult for the victims’ next of kin to find closure despite the passage of time.
“There are a lot of sick people out there,” said Piet Ploeg, chairman of the MH17 Disaster Foundation, who lost his own brother, sister-in-law, and their young son in the disaster.
“Terrible pictures of the victims at the crash site are posted on social media nearly every day. Some of the body parts … you can recognise who they are. This is very cruel to the next of kin.”
Ploeg told This Week in Asia that his Netherlands-based foundation, which aims to safeguard those left behind, support them in their grief and commemorate the victims, had warned surviving family members not to look at social media.
