Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash: Remains of some victims may have been 'vaporised'
Michael Bociurkiw, one of the investigators in Ukraine, said he feared that some of the bodies had been incinerated without a trace
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The remains of some of those killed in the Malaysia flight MH17 crash may never be recovered after they were 'vaporised', a spokesman for the organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe, has said.
Michael Bociurkiw, one of the investigators in Ukraine, said he feared that some of the bodies had been incinerated without a trace.
"We're looking at the field where the engines have come down," said Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesman for the OSCE said.
"This was the area which was exposed to the most intense heat. We do not see any bodies here. It appears that some have been vaporised."
There has also been a suggestion that some of the bodies may have already been moved by rebels. His comments came as the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country lost 192 citizens on the plane, stated that repatriating the bodies was his "No 1 priority".
The crash site, which covers 42 square miles of farmland and villages, has been cleared of bodies. The corpses have been loaded onto a refrigerated train.
Experts have said that even if they were granted access to the area of the crash it may already be too late as the site may have been compromised.
"Even without any deliberate attempt at a cover-up, the crash site is already compromised in forensic terms," said Keir Giles, an associate fellow at the Chatham House think-tank.
"A reconstruction of the aircraft fuselage and wings would give a picture on how the missile struck and what kind it was. If any aircraft parts have already been removed...this compromises the objectivity of the investigation."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments