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Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 shot down over Ukraine near Russian border

Updated July 19, 2014 — 5:59pm,first published July 18, 2014 — 5:31am

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FULL COVERAGE: MH17 TRAGEDY
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5.59pm on Jul 19, 2014

The live coverage of the MH17 disaster continues here.

5.40pm on Jul 19, 2014

Eight permanent Australian residents were killed on-board flight MH17 along with the 28 Australian citizens, Prime Minister Tony Abbott's office says.

All eight lived in Victoria.

"The families of the Australian victims have requested privacy and out of respect for their wishes, the Australian government will not be releasing the names of the victims," a spokeswoman said.

5.25pm on Jul 19, 2014

The Melbourne family of five killed on-board MH17 have been remembered as a "down to earth", loving family.

Malaysian-born woman Shaliza Zain Dewa, 45, and her Dutch-born husband Johannes Van Den Hende had been on holiday in Amsterdam with their children Piers, Marnix and Margaux, aged 15, 12 and 8.

Piers, the eldest child, played soccer with Melton Phoenix Football Club's under 15 team. Club president, Steve Williamson, said the club community was devastated by the loss.

5.20pm on Jul 19, 2014

Jack O'Brien of Sydney was on-board MH17 returning from a seven week holiday.

Sydney man Jack O'Brien has been identified as another Australian victim on-board downed plane MH17.

"The life of our beloved son and brother, Jack, has been ended so suddenly," the family said via a statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "We are devastated at his loss, as are Jack's extended family and friends."

The 25-year-old had been returning from a seven week holiday in Europe.

"He was loved so much," the statement said.

The number of Australians killed in the incident remains at 28, however it is believed that a number of local residents were travelling on foreign passports, including a Melbourne family of five.

4.56pm on Jul 19, 2014

Rain is now falling on the MH17 crash site. BBC foreign correspondent Fergal Keane said despite the downpour there is still "the smell of burning in the air".

4.49pm on Jul 19, 2014

In Melbourne, Ukrainian Australians are lighting candles to remember the victims of MH17 in City Square.

Association of Ukrainians in Victoria committee member Lydia Gibala said after months of mourning the loss of Ukrainian lives, it was tragic the conflict had now killed Australians too.

Orthodox priests are leading hymns with about 70 people in attendance, many holding Ukrainian and Australian flags.

4.18pm on Jul 19, 2014

It started at the statue of Queen Victoria outside the QVB and ended at the bronze of Saint Mary Mackillop beside St Marys Cathedral.

Almost one hundred members of Sydney's Ukrainian community demonstrated disgust at Russian President Vladimir Putin carrying banners declaring 'G19 No Russia No Killer Putin', 'Putin Terrorist' and 'TerroRussian Number One'.

Young and old carried the blue and yellow flag of the Ukraine – blue above for the sky and yellow below signifying what was once a great wheat nation.

After a minute's silence, a prayer and a hymn, community leader Pete Shmigel said: "We are seeing in the Ukraine the growth of a new form of terrorism, of tyrant terrorism whereby one man for his own aggrandisement, for his own political ambitions is terrorising through the use of mercenaries an entire country and now an entire world as a result of downing an aeroplane of innocent people."

Olya Kachanova, 19, on holiday in Sydney from the Ukraine addressed the crowd.

She said: "We want to be independent in the Ukraine. We don't want Russia. It is our country."

Wasyla Senko, another community leader said Putin should be excluded from G20.

"They [Russia] shot it down because they thought it was Ukrainian. Three hundred people died needlessly because of one man's ambition," he said.

At the cathedral a wreath was laid bearing the words 'In memory of the victims of Flight MH17'.

There was another silence and laying of black ribbons as a sign of remembrance.

Mackillop is portrayed in her statue wearing her nun's habit. It was a poignant reminder of another catholic nun.

Sister Philomene Tiernan, a teacher at Kincoppal school, Rose Bay. She was on board MH17.

Malaysian MH17 Flight story Ukrainian Community protest outside the QVB in Sydney.Fiona Morris

4.06pm on Jul 19, 2014

A family of five living in an outer-Melbourne suburb have emerged as the latest victims of the flight MH17 disaster.

The official number of Victorian victims is 10 however a number of Victorian residents are believed to have been travelling on foreign passports.

MH17 victims Margaux van den Hende, age 8, from Melbourne.

3.33pm on Jul 19, 2014

AIDS researchers have vowed to fight on for a cure in memory of those who died on board MH17 on their way to a conference in Melbourne, as organisers confirmed the names of six delegates lost on the doomed flight, Jill Stark reports.

Original reports suggested more than 100 delegates were on the plane heading to the 20th International Aids Conference, which more than 14,000 people will take part in over the next six days.

But organisers on Saturday confirmed "at least six" people on the flight were due to attend, with International AIDS Society president Françoise Barré-Sinoussi saying the extent of their loss was "hard to comprehend or express".

Sombre mood: The AIDS conference is due to begin in Melbourne this weekend. Getty Images/Graham Denholm

3.29pm on Jul 19, 2014

Dutchman Arthur Laumann holds a floral tribute and photograph of family friend Wayan Sujana of Bali, believed to be missing on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was ravelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.Getty Images

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 shot down over Ukraine near Russian border

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