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Victims Of MH17 Return To The Netherlands In A Heartrending Procession

Pamela Engel   

Victims Of MH17 Return To The Netherlands In A Heartrending Procession
Politics3 min read

Netherlands MH17 procession

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Hearses carry coffins containing unidentified bodies from the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on July 23, 2014 in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Nearly a week after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 went down over eastern Ukraine, the victims are finally being returned home.

CNN has reporters in the Netherlands, where there is a procession on Wednesday for victims of downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. A plane arrived with the first 40 coffins Wednesday morning, and now dozens of hearses are making their way through the Netherlands.

Families are mourning their loved ones even as some bodies have yet to be identified.

Some family members of victims spoke to CNN. One man lost two nephews in the plane crash:

Others were on their way to vacation:

The Netherlands was the hardest hit by the crash - 193 Dutch nationals were killed when the plane was shot down.

The country is holding a national day of mourning for the victims.

The coffins arrived on planes:

Netherlands MH17 procession

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

A Royal Dutch Air Force C130 lands with the bodies from the crash of MH17.

Netherlands officials were there as the planes arrived:

Netherlands MH17 procession

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

L-R) King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands stands with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as unidentified bodies from the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 are transferred to hearses.

And hearses were waiting to transport the bodies:

Netherlands MH17 procession

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Dutch military personnel carried the coffins off the planes:

Netherlands MH17 procession

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Dutch military personnel carry a coffin containing an unidentified body from the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

The bodies are being taken to be identified by forensic experts:

Netherlands MH17 procession

REUTERS/Marco de Swart

A man holds a Netherlands flag flying at half-mast (L) as a row of hearses carrying victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 plane disaster are escorted on highway A27 near Nieuwegein by military police, on their way to be identified by forensic experts in Hilversum.

A motorcade accompanied the vehicles:

Netherlands MH17 procession

REUTERS/Michael Kooren

A row of hearses carrying the bodies of victims killed in Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 plane disaster arrives at the Korporaal van Oudheusden barracks in Hilversum.

Thousands lined up along streets and highways to watch:

Netherlands MH17 procession

REUTERS/Marco de Swart

A convoy of hearses, bearing remains of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash, are escorted along the A27 highway by military police.

Check out some of the photos that have posted to Twitter:

This photo really shows the scope of the procession:

People even crowded along overpasses to watch the procession go by:

MH17 was reportedly shot down by pro-Russian rebels as it was flying over eastern Ukraine. Nearly 300 people died in the disaster.

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