What is the Dutch Safety Board investigating?
- General
Circumstances
The first investigation will focus on establishing the cause of the plane crash. This is an international investigation, involving several countries, and will be conducted in accordance with the rules of ICAO. The Dutch Safety Board will take the lead in this investigation. Facts that are obtained as a result of the investigation will be used to establish the cause of the crash and rule out other possible causes.
The aim of the international investigation is to provide next of kin and the (international) community with information regarding the cause of the crash. For this reason, the investigation must be conducted carefully, using all of the available information to uncover the exact cause and, in turn, rule out any other possible causes. The investigation must ensure that the conclusion regarding the cause of the crash is undisputed and thus generally accepted. The Board would also like to prevent next of kin being confronted, in the future, with new speculation that could cause uncertainty regarding the circumstances of the disaster.
Alongside the internationally coordinated investigation into the cause of the plane crash, the Dutch Safety Board will also conduct two additional investigations.
Flight path
An investigation into the decision-making process regarding flight paths and the risk assessment that was conducted when choosing to fly over Eastern Ukraine. The Board will not only look at past events but will also review the system in general in order to learn valuable lessons for the future.
Passenger list
An investigation into the creation of the passenger list in general and why the full list was not available for flight MH17 immediately. On the one hand, the Board will examine this process with respect to flight MH17. On the other, the organisation regarding passenger lists and their compilation in general will also be investigated in order to provide lessons for the future.
The Dutch Board of Safety will not make any statements with regard to blame or liability and these issues will not form part of the investigation.
