Impression of the wreckage MH17 at Air Force base Gilze-Rijen

Immediately after the accident, investigators from the Dutch Safety Board travelled to the Ukraine and tried to reach the accident site in order to investigate the wreckage. Due to the unsafe situation this was not possible for a long time. For this reason, the Dutch Safety Board decided to recover the wreckage and transport it to the Netherlands for investigation once it was safe to do so. The recovery started on 16 November 2014.

After arriving at Gilze-Rijen Air Base, the pieces of wreckage were unloaded, inspected and photographed in accordance with a fixed procedure. This was done in close consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, as part of the forensic investigation. Next, the wreckage was sorted: the pieces not directly required for the investigation were stored in two shelters at the Air Force base. Dozens of other pieces were collected in the hangar for further investigation. These are the most important items, including parts of the cockpit and of the business class section, the left engine and, for example, parts of the left wing.

In early March, once the next of kin have viewed the wreckage, the three-dimensional reconstruction of part of the aircraft will begin. The reconstruction will focus on the cockpit and a part of the business class section. It will be a reconstruction of the outside of the aircraft.