Malaysia prepares to receive bodies from M17 crash

8/21/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia is preparing to receive the bodies and ashes of 20 of its citizens killed when Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine in July.

It will be the first repatriation of victims to the country, and the government has urged people to wear black and observe a minute of silence and prayer when the bodies arrive later Friday.

All 298 people onboard died when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down.

It was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam and was shot down over an area of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russia separatists.

The victims included 43 Malaysians and 195 Dutch nationals.