Right into action in Kiev...

Bernama photo

Bernama journalist Mohd Razman Abdullah got off to work immediately after arriving at the Kiev International Airport this morning with the Malaysian special investigation team on the crashed Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17.

He interviewed the head of the delegation, Khairil Hilmi Mokhtar who hoped the process

would run smoothly for the investigation team.

The team, which included police forensic officers, Special Malaysia Disaster Assitance and Rescue Team and medical officials, left Kuala Lumpur at 8pm on Friday night in a chartered flight.

They arrived in the Ukrainian capital at 4am local time. Malaysia is five hours ahead of Ukraine.

After the early report, Razman filed another story later to say that there was no safe passage yet for the Malaysian special investigation team to visit the crash site at Grabovo, some 750km from Kiev.

However, the Ukrainian Government was providing good cooperation to the Malaysian delegation, said Khairil Hilmi, who is National Security Council Cross Border Management Division principal assistant secretary,

Describing the situation at the site as a 'war zone' due to the ongoing conflict between pro-Russian rebels and the Ukrainian Army, Khairil Hilmi was still unclear when the team could go to the crash site.

"We are still holding discussions with the Ukrainian Government and they are doing their best to ensure our safety," he told Malaysian reporters after a three-hour meeting beginning 10am.

Malaysia Ambassador to Ukraine, Chuah Teong Ban and MAS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ahmad Jauhari Yahya were present..

Razman also wrote about a Russian-speaking Malaysian doctor  who would serve as interpreter for the Malaysian team. Photographer Zulkarnain Kamaruddin provided photos to go along with the stories.

Dr Muhamad Akmal, a pediatrician at the Ampang Hospital did not hesitate when offered to be part of the Malaysian investigation team, even if he had to leave behind his pregnant wife.

The 26-year-old Russian State Medical University graduate said his desire to give service to the country in any possible way, even as a translator, was his natural passion.

"During this difficult time I feel obliged to help as I can speak the Russian language since I studied in Moscow for six years.

"It is part of my contribution for the country and religion," he told Bernama.

The team was formed following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak's statement that Malaysia intended to find out precisely what had caused the MAS flight MH17 to crash in Ukraine on Thursday although the Ukrainian authorities believed that the  plane was shot down.

The airline had confirmed on Friday that MH17 was carrying 283 passengers, including three infants, of various nationalities, and 15 Malaysian crew members.

The Boeing 777-200 plane from Amsterdam was scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.10 am Malaysian time.