MH17: A sad day for Malaysia

SEPANG: The bright morning skies on the National Day of Mourning was in complete contrast to the bleak atmosphere at the Bunga Raya Complex at KL International Airport (KLIA) as Malaysians waited in sadness for the remains of the 20 Malaysians who died in the MH17 air tragedy on July 17.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah graced the ceremony held to honour the return of the remains of the victims.
For the first time in Malaysian history the remains of civilians were accorded ceremonial military honours. There were 450 military personnels on duty today.
Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, cabinet ministers, foreign dignitaries, government officials and family members of the victims.
A specially-assigned MAS flight, MH6129 carrying the remains arrived at KLIA at 9.54am. It was complete silence when the military police began at 10am, the lowering of the caskets which were draped in the national flag. A group of eight pallbearers then carried the caskets to the white hearses.
The nation observed a minute of silence at 10.55 am after the last casket was placed into the hearse.
The 20 remains of the 43 Malaysians killed on flight MH17 were laid to rest today after 36 days since the tragedy.
Flight MH17 was on route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam on July 17 when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people aboard.