Remarkable first-hand accounts of a global aviation tragedy which turned into one of the most complex policing missions of our time are revealed in a new AFP-led podcast launched today (Tuesday 16 July, 2024).
The AFP podcast 'Search Among the Sunflowers: Looking for truth in the world's biggest crime scene,' tells the story of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014. The podcast reveals the impact the tragedy had on several Australian families and the Australian emergency response, including the AFP's mission to bring the victims back to home soil.
On board the flight were 15 crew and 283 passengers, including 80 children. Among them were 38 passengers who called Australia home.
The podcast, released ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the incident on 17 July, is named after the golden sunflowers that grew in the eastern Ukrainian field, 50km from the Russian border, where the plane was brought down.
The five-part series explores the previously unheard stories of family members remembering when they first heard the news, the investigators who bravely deployed at a moment's notice to what was an enormous and dangerous crime scene, and the specialist police who supported the victims' loved ones in their desperate search for information in the months and years that followed.
The podcast features 18 new interviews, taken from more than 21 hours of audio recordings, revealing the human stories behind the tragedy and the emotional challenges endured by those impacted.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Peter Crozier said the emergency response to MH17, Operation Arew, became an unprecedented recovery operation for the AFP.
"Our response to the downing of MH17 was unprecedented. Within the blink of an eye, our world had changed forever. And that's when our international emergency response and investigation began," Assistant Commissioner Crozier said.
"The mission was clear - bring the Australians who had lost their lives home to their loved ones, and then, together with our international partners, seek justice for those responsible."
The AFP mobilised instantly, working alongside its international law enforcement partners, along with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
"The AFP was committed to the harrowing task of victim identification. The AFP's forensic capability, in particular geospatial technology, was critical in the response to the MH17 victim recovery," Assistant Commissioner Crozier said.
He said AFP Family Investigative Liaison Officers (FILOs) played a significant role working with the families of victims affected by the tragedy.
"The FILOs were established around the time of the 2002 Bali bombings. They continue to support those who call Australia home and their families affected by major incidents such as aircraft crashes, natural disasters, kidnappings, and terrorist incidents," he said.
"The downing of MH17 was no different, and many families remain in close contact with our FILOs to this very day."
The AFP worked closely alongside its domestic and international partners as part of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consisting of representatives from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
You can listen to Search Among the Sunflowers where you get your podcasts, or by visiting afp.gov.au/MH17.
