MH17 crash: Tears of disbelief hit relatives

In scenes reminiscent of the MH370 disaster four months ago, grieving relatives of passengers travelling on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 gathered at airports in Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur to learn the fate of their loved ones.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 with 295 people on board was to have landed in Kuala Lumpur at 6.10am (8.10am EST Friday) on a flight from Amsterdam. It went down near the Ukraine-Russia border and all aboard were killed.

Some of the men and women were tearful and clung to each other; most looked shell-shocked, staring blankly ahead as the buses pulled out, seemingly unable to process news of a tragedy apparently caused by a conflict so far away.

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A Malaysian woman who had a relative on board the Malaysian Airlines MH17 reacts to messages on her mobile phone as she waits to travel to Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Singapore's Changi Airport July 18

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Family members of passengers on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 react on a bus bringing them to a separate area at Schiphol Airport

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Malaysian Siti Dina weeps after seeing her daughter's name on the list of passengers on board Malaysia Airlines MH17 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18

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People light candles at the Dutch embassy for the victims of Malaysia Airlines MH17 in Ukrainian capital Kiev

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Family members of passengers on Malaysia Airlines flight MH-17 react on a bus bringing them to a separate area at Schiphol Airport 

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People, who said they believed their relatives were on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, speak to a police officer for more information about the crashed plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang

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People, who said they believed their relatives were on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, wait for more information about the crashed plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang

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A woman, who said she believed her sister was on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, cries as she waits for more information about the crashed plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18

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A man (in blue) whose family was onboard the Malaysia Airlines MH17 consoles another who had just arrived with his wife to receive confirmation that their daughter's family was onboard the plane, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18

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