Updated 8.30pm
THE PARENTS OF three young children who were on board the crashed MH17 flight have released a heartbreaking statement.
The statement, which is published in several Australian news outlets today, is said to have been released through Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The children, Mo (12), Evie (10) and Otis Maslin (8) were travelling with their grandfather Nick Norris on board the MH17 when it crashed in east Ukraine.
SBS reports that the statement from Anthony Maslin and Marite Norris says:
Our love and respect for our children remains unlimited and unconditional. It will never weaken – our children have been our entire world. We have been two of the luckiest and happiest people on the planet. What remains for us now is to honour our children.
The parents describe their lives as “an ongoing hell”, saying “the pain we are enduring is unfathomable”.
They state:
Please respect our children’s memory, and stop this pointless war.
Flight MH17 was brought down over east Ukraine on 17 July. All on board died.
A report released in September said that the plane broke up in the air after being pierced by “high-energy objects”.
Read: MH17 crash report on what brought down plane over Ukraine due next week>
have your say