Malaysia Airlines settles damages with MH17 victims

A man rides his bicycle past the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, near the village of Hrabove (Grabovo) in Donetsk region, in this 15 December 2014 file photo - REUTERS

Malaysia Airlines has struck a deal to settle damages claims for most victims of its MH17 flight that was shot down over eastern Ukraine two years ago on Sunday, Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported.

NOS cited Veeru Mewa, a lawyer representing Dutch victims. Under the Montreal Convention, airlines must pay damages of up to about € 130,000 ($ 145,000) to victims’ families, regardless of the circumstances of a crash.

MH17 was shot down over territory held by pro-Russia separatists, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Most of the passengers were Dutch. – Reuters