MH17 disaster: Kiwi mum whose son was killed says Russia must show accountability

Robert Ayley , New Zealander confirmed as being onboard Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. Photo / supplied

• Rob Ayley was among 289 killed when flight MH17 was shot down in July 2014.
• The UN civil aviation agency found Russia responsible, providing some relief to Ayley’s mother, Wendie.
• Wendie Ayley seeks accountability, calling the act terrorism against civilians on the Malaysian Airlines flight.

A Kiwi mother whose son died after his plane was shot down wants Russia held accountable for his death.

Rob Ayley, a father of two, was among the 289 people killed when flight MH17 went down in July 2014.

Now, nearly 11 years on, the UN civil aviation agency has found Russia did shoot down the flight.

That’s some relief to Ayley’s mum Wendie, who said the pain doesn’t go away but she’s not “bitter or twisted”.

Her son was heading home to Wellington after a month in Europe, and boarded the flight in Amsterdam bound for Kuala Lumpur. But the Malaysian Airlines flight was downed over eastern Ukraine.

“It would be good to see Russia held accountable,” Ayley told the Herald.

“It doesn’t change anything. I’m not into blame and shame because it’s not going to bring anyone back.

“But I do think Russia does need to acknowledge it was basically an act of terrorism against civilians who were just sitting on a plane quietly going home or on holiday.”

Ayley said she attended a ceremony in the Netherlands last year to commemorate the tragedy.

“That was really special for us because we had been completely isolated.”

A portrait of MH17 victim Robert Ayley from the cover of the memorial service booklet. 28 July 2014 New Zealand Herald Photograph by Mark Mitchell NZH 29Jul14 - WGP 30Jul14 - ROB Ayley

Gerry Menke, born in the Netherlands, and his wife Mary Menke, born in New Zealand, were also on MH17.

But Rob Ayley, aged 29, was the only New Zealand citizen on the flight.

Among the victims were 193 Dutch nationals.

Ayley said last year’s event was “massive” for the Dutch people and was a beautiful ceremony.

“It’s an ongoing thing. You don’t stop being affected by it,” Ayley said.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) examined claims from Australia and the Netherlands.

And it has now said those claims were well-founded in fact and in law.

“This represents the first time in ICAO’s history that its council has made a determination on the merits of a dispute between member states under the organisation’s dispute settlement mechanism,” ICAO added.

Australia and the Netherlands alleged Russia’s actions, downing the Boeing 777 by a surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine, were a breach of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

The convention said states should not use weapons against civil aircraft in flight.

ICAO said a formal decision document setting out the reasons of fact and law leading to its conclusions would be issued at a future meeting.

Pro-Russian separatists were operating in parts of eastern Ukraine when MH17 was shot down.

In 2022, a Dutch court found Russia gave the separatists financial assistance, troops, arms and other goods, to the point Russia controlled the separatists.

ICAO comprises 193 member states, including Russia.

John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and court.