Netherlands holds sombre memorial for MH17 victims

LATIVES of the 298 victims whodied when Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine have supported each other at an emotional memorial in Amsterdam.Some 1600 relatives and friends of the dead from 18 countries, including Australia, gathered with the Dutch King and Queen near the airport from where MH17 took off almost four months ago. “Noneof us can possibly comprehend how tough it is for the people involved in this,” Australia’s official representative at the service, ambassador Neil Mules, told AAP.Memorial ... Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks as relatives and friends of the victims of the MH17 disaster attend a national commemoration ceremony in Amsterdam. Picture: GettySource:Getty Images“Any opportunity we can provide for them to share with others who’ve had the same experience and know what they’re going through is very important.“It’s a way of letting them know they still have everybody’s attention and, in the case of governments, are still high on everyone’s priority list to deal with it.”A number of Australian relatives were present at Monday’s memorial held at the vast RAI arena close to Schiphol airport. Mourners read out the names and ages of all those killed in a ceremony that was broadcast live on Dutch television and radio and marked by musical performances

.A relative reads out names of victims during a commemoration ceremony for relatives and friends of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines FlightMH17 disaster. Picture: Jasper Juinen-Pool/GettySource:Getty Images

Hundreds of grieving family membersand friends gathered in Amsterdam for thel commemoration ceremony nearly four months after the passenger jet was downed over eastern Ukraine. Picture: Jasper Juinen-Pool/GettySource:Getty ImagesDutch schoolchildren laid flowers for classmates killed as they set out for their summer holidays on board the doomed flight. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, recently returned from Australia where he discussed the ongoing crash investigation, asked “what if the holiday had started a day later?” “What if the plane had beenlate?” he continued on Monday.“What if I wake up and realise it was all just a dream? But there is no ‘What if’. Only the harsh reality of 298 dead.” Mr Mules spoke withsome of the Australians afterwards at an informal gathering where family and friendsshared their grief and met members of the Dutch royal family.