EINDHOVEN: The first batch of 40 caskets carrying the remains of those who died in the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 tragedy arrived here late yesterday afternoon on board two military transports.
The nation and this historical city which had seen its share of bloodshed and carnage during World War Two, observed a minute’s silence as the caskets were taken out of the cavernous bays of the two military transports and loaded into the 40 waiting black hearses lining the flightline.
Air traffic in Eidnhoven ground to a standstill, trains stopped and people on the streets bowed their heads in reverence for one minute as a mark of respect to those who lost their lives when MH17 was snuffed out and blown out of the sky on July 17.
The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules of the Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force) touched down at this military base at 4pm (10pm Malaysian time) against a backdrop of various nations’ flags, fluttering in the soft afternoon breeze at halfmast.
King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Mark Rutte led dignitaries on the tarmac as the aircraft carrying landed at Eindhoven Airport.
Malaysia was represented by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
Also present were more than 1,000 relatives of the 193 Dutch dead, waiting at the edge of the flightline.
They had made the trip not knowing if their loved ones were in the first batch. All they could hope for was that they would finally be reunited with their loved ones.
Soon after, the second military transport, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), also landed and taxied to its parking bay, with its cargo of 24 caskets.
Standing shimmering against the distorted warm air, a lone bugler sounded the haunting strain on his bugle before the first section of pallbearers from the Royal Netherlands Armed Forces went in to retrieve the caskets.
The mood was sombre and moving. Except for the ringing of church bells and the crackling whine of aircraft engines, the only sound was of the caskets being carried off the aircraft.
The Netherlands declared yesterday an official day of mourning.
After the last casket was loaded into the hearse, one by one, they formed a long black ribbon, escorted by military police outriders, and headed for a nondescript hangar with corrugated walls where they will be interred for the time being.
The remains were will later be taken to Hikversum, about 100km from here, for the full identification process.