Updated
PHOTO: Dutch investigators inspect parts of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 wreckage in eastern Ukraine, where they have found more human remains.
Dutch forensic experts had recovered further human remains at the crash site of downed flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, after lifting parts of the wreckage with a crane.
However, they were unable to remove the wreckage from the site, amid fears that full-scale rebel fighting could break out again in the unstable region.
"A small team has recovered body parts at the site after pieces of the wreckage were lifted with a crane," the Dutch defence ministry said in a statement.
Dutch experts were charged with body part recovery and also leading the investigation into the fatal July 17 crash that killed all 298 on board.
The Australian Government announced Thursday the timeframe for the probe into the cause of the disaster had been extended by another nine months.
Experts were able to re-enter the crash site yesterday after long delays caused by rebel fighting in the area.
They had hoped to recover all debris from the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight, during a break in the unrest.
The human remains would be sent to Kharkiv for forensic checks and then be repatriated to the Netherlands at a later stage, the ministry said.
The Dutch team's chief official, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, said his small group had "done everything they could" to retrieve body parts and personal belongings.
"To continue, we would now need heavy equipment and far more forensic experts," Mr Aalbersberg said.
"At this moment it's not possible," he said in the statement.
He said the security situation around the crash site "remained fragile".
Kiev and the West had claimed the Boeing 777 was shot down in the conflict-torn area by separatist fighters using a BUK surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia.
Moscow denied the charges, and had pointed the finger back at Kiev.
A total of 38 Australians were killed in the disaster.
So far 289 victims had been identified through body parts recovered from the site, but no wreckage has been retrieved due to safety issues.
Nine victims' bodies had remained lost.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders warned over the weekend that the last remains of MH17's victims may never be recovered as five more coffins were flown back to the Netherlands.
The Defence Ministry confirmed work had not yet started to recover parts of the wreckage for the air crash investigation.
Representatives from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which had been negotiating with separatists on behalf of the Dutch government, "were still in talks".
"Work cannot start until agreements have been finalised," the statement said, adding "the mission is ready to commence as soon as we get the green light".
AFP
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/
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