There are believed to have been at least 33 Australians on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
The Australian victims are believed to include nine Victorians, nine from QLD, one from NSW, seven from WA and one from the ACT.
The number was previously reported as 27, and then 28.
It is unclear as to how many Australian residents with overseas passports were on the flight. The identities of those passengers are slowly being revealed as families are told.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was ‘shot down’ by a surface-to-air missile, somewhere over Ukraine. Click here for everything we know about MH17 so far.
State Premiers respond:
State Premiers have started releasing details of how many people from their state may have been involved in the MH17 tragedy.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman revealed that nine Queenslanders were on board and Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has confirmed that seven Western Australians were on board.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine released a statement saying that nine Victorians were on board. This was followed by a press conference in which Napthine announced that flags across the state would fly at half-mast today, and during the AIDS conference many passengers were travelling to Australia for, which was scheduled to be held next week.
Napthine also stated that he expects there were Australian permanent residents on the flight who were travelling under overseas passports. He is unclear as to whether any of these passengers were from Victoria.
These are the Australians who have currently been confirmed as passengers on the flight:
Shaliza Zain Dewa, Johannes Van Den Hende and their three children
45-year-old Shaliza Zain Dewa, her husband Johannes Van Den Hende and their three children Piers, 15, Marnix, 12, and Margaux, 8, have been confirmed by The Age as passengers on the flight. The family of five were travelling to their home in Melbourne’s outer suburbs after holidaying in Amsterdam.
As Shaliza and Johannes were Malaysian- and Dutch-born respectively, they – and their children – were not included in the initial count of Australians on board the flight. The number of Australians on board the flight has now been revised to 33.
Marco Grippeling
Fairfax Media have reported that 48-year-old Victorian Marco Grippeling was on Flight MH17. Grippeling was originally from the Netherlands. His wife had returned to Australia on an earlier flight.
Michael and Carol Clancy
Retired Wollongong teachers Michael and Carol Clancy were on a three-week European holiday to celebrate Mr Clancy’s retirement. They had saved up for first class tickets on the flight due to Mr Clancy’s ill health, the Illawarra Mercury reports.
Helena Sidelik
Gold Coast woman Helena Sidelik was returning from a holiday.
Frankie and Liam Davison
Frankie and Liam Davison, of Melbourne, were passengers on the flight. 54-year-old Frankie had taught at Melbourne’s Toorak College for 28 years.
Liliane Derden
50-year-old Liliane Derden has been confirmed by The Canberra Times as the sole Australian from the ACT on board Flight MH17.
Derden was a public servant from the north of Canberra.
Jill and Roger Guard
Toowoomba pathologist Roger Guard and his wife Jill were on Flight MH17, The Courier Mail reports.
Dr Guard had been an employee of Queensland Health for 44 years, and was returning to Australia from a European holiday.
Sr Philomene Tiernan RSCJ
Fairfax Media have confirmed that Sydney nun Sr Philomene Tiernan RSCJ was on board Flight MH17. Sr Tiernan was a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart and a teacher in the primary department at Kincoppal-Rose Bay School in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
Nick Norris and his three grandchildren: Mo, Evie and Otis
Perth man Nick Norris has been confirmed as a passenger on Flight MH17. According to Perth’s 6PR, Norris was travelling from Amsterdam with his three grandchildren, returning from a family holiday.
The children, Mo, 12, Evie, 10, and Otis, 8 were travelling back with their grandfather in time for the start of school term while their parents stayed in Amsterdam.
Albert and Marie Rizk
Albert and Marie Rizk were also on board the flight. 53-year-old Albert and his wife, from the tight-knit community of Sunbury, were due to return to Australia today after a month of holidaying in Europe.
The Rizk’s were supposed to be on board an earlier flight with friends, which they missed – with tragic consequences.
The Herald Sun reports that the councillor of Sunbury, Jack Ogilvie, said he received a call from the Sunbury Football Club president Phil Lithgow that the Rizk’s were dead. The Herald Sun reported the councillor as saying:
“I’m told Phil received a phone call from a club member who is friendly with (the Rizk’s son) James, who was officially told by DFAT,” he said. “I’m just in shock.”
The couple have two children, 21-year-old James and 23-year-old Vanessa.
Elaine Teoh
Herald Sun reporter Alex White tweeted earlier today that 27-year-old Melbourne University student Elaine Teoh was confirmed among the passengers on flight MH17.
Melbourne University student Elaine Teoh confirmed among the passengers onflight HM17
— Alex White (@alexwhitelive) July 18, 2014
Anyone with concerns for relatives or friends is urged to call DFAT HOTLINES – 1300 555 135 or + 61 2 6261 3305
Top Comments
This is so horrific. May god hold their souls close.
It is a tragedy but I just can't help but be completely beside myself for those parents that lost their 3 kids and the dad....that is beyond heartbreaking.