Son of MH17 captain calls for justice following ruling

PETALING JAYA - After a United Nations agency declared that Russia was responsible for the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, Mr Wan Yusuf Irfan Wan Amran paid tribute to his late father Wan Amran Wan Hussin, who had captained the plane.

He described July 17, 2014, as the most painful day of his life, marking the loss of his father in what he termed the “senseless downing” of the flight and “an act of violence that claimed 298 innocent lives and shattered countless families”.

“Over a decade has passed, yet not a day goes by without thoughts of him,” said Mr Wan Yusuf Irfan, who was nine years old when the plane was downed by a Russian surface-to-air missile as it flew over a disputed part of Ukraine.

“His laughter, his discipline and his quiet strength are deeply missed,” he said of his father, a day after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ruled that Russia was responsible for the air disaster.

Commenting on the ruling, Mr Wan Yusuf Irfan said it had reignited calls for justice and compassion for all affected families, and that the authorities should show more “resolve and compassion” following the ruling.

“MH17 was not just a plane; it was our national carrier, carrying our people under our flag.

“The ICAO findings and international investigations have made it clear – Russia was responsible.

“And still, the authorities have failed to act with the resolve and compassion expected in the face of one of the worst aviation tragedies in history,” he said.

Mr Wan Yusuf Irfan, who is following in his father’s footsteps and pursuing an aviation career, said his father’s mentorship was “stolen” not just by those responsible for the attack, but also by what he said is a system that failed to defend