Three Vietnamese among dead in Malaysian plane crash

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UN Le Hoai Trung.

Vietnam has requested a prompt and transparent investigation into the crash of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine on July 17 which caused the tragic loss of lives of all passengers and crew members, including three Vietnamese.

At a meeting on the incident of the United Nations Security Council in New York on July 18, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UN Le Hoai Trung said his delegation “has just been informed that among the victims, three are Vietnamese.”

The three victims, who also have Dutch nationality, were Nguyen Ngoc Minh, born in 1977, and her two children - Dang Minh Chau, born in 1997, and Dang Quoc Huy, born in 2001.

Malaysian Airlines (MAS) on July 19 said that three passengers of Vietnamese origin took flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, carrying Dutch passports.

According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese embassies in Malaysia, Ukraine and the Netherlands are working closely with relevant agencies of these countries to deal with necessary legal procedures.

“We would like to convey our deepest condolences and sympathy to the governments, people and the bereaved families,” said Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, adding that “at this moment, as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnam stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Malaysia.”

“We call for expeditious, effective and responsible actions by relevant authorities and parties towards the families of the victims, and to adequately address other related issues. Vietnam requests a prompt and transparent investigation to the incident. We hope that the incident would soon be settled with efforts and determination by relevant authorities and parties,” he said.

With regards to the situation in Ukraine, Vietnam is closely following the situation and is extremely concerned over the recent complicated developments in the eastern provinces of Ukraine, he affirmed.

“We hope that all concerned parties exercise restraint and avoid any actions that could aggravate the situation and cause casualties to civilians while making efforts through peaceful dialogues to find solutions ensuring the legitimate interests of all parties and meeting the people’s aspiration for peace, stability and development of Ukraine and the region,” the Ambassador stressed.

The plane was carrying a total of 298 people on board, including 15 crew members, when it was downed in eastern Ukraine on July 17.