MH17 – A Sister’s Story

In Ukraine, whilst she reported on MH17, a miner gave the ID of a passenger to Natalia Antelava. A year on, she meets the passenger’s sister, and tries to find the miner.

Joyce Baay was one of the 298 passengers and crew who were killed when Malaysian airlines flight MH17 came down in eastern Ukraine on July 17th, 2014. Natalia Antelava was sent by the BBC to report on the crash. Whilst she was on air, a local miner – one of the first responders – handed Natalia the wallet and documents of one of the passengers. He asked her to give them to the authorities. Natalia never forgot the name of that Dutch woman who died along with the other passengers and crew – it was Joyce. For Assignment, Natalia meets Joyce’s sister in the Netherlands, and hears a story of trauma and loss, but also hope. And she tries to find the miner in Ukraine who gave her Joyce’s personal effects a year ago.

Producer: Linda Pressly

Photo: Joyce Baay wearing the silver bracelet her sister is desperate to recover on her right wrist. Credit: Babs Baay

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28 minutes