Cost to the Netherlands government of the MH17 disaster rises to €199 million
At the government’s request, the Netherlands Court of Audit has been keeping track of the costs incurred by the Dutch government since the downing of Flight MH17 by a Russian Buk missile over Ukraine in 2014. A first statement of costs incurred to the end of 2022 was published in February 2024. An update taking account of costs incurred in 2023 was released on 26 November 2024: the total cost since the disaster in 2014 has risen from €166 million to nearly €199 million.
All 298 passenger and crew, including 196 Dutch nationals, lost their lives on 17 July 2014. The initial assessment covered the period from the day of the disaster to the end of 2022. The updated assessment includes the Court of Audit’s analysis of the costs incurred by various government bodies in the 2023 calendar year.
Government makes advance compensation payments to next of kin
Many items contributed to the costs incurred in 2023. The biggest items were the government’s advance payment of compensation to the next of kin (€16.9 million) following The Hague district court’s sentencing of 3 suspects to life imprisonment and compensation relating to the suspects’ involvement in downing the passenger aircraft. Costs were also incurred to support the next of kin and to help defray their legal costs. Recurring costs were incurred by the police, several ministries (meetings, storage of aircraft wreckage, recordkeeping) and for the ongoing criminal investigation. Higher costs for the maintenance of the national MH17 monument and for international criminal proceedings were also included in the cost assessment.
Cost to the Netherlands government of the MH17 disaster: additional €32.4 million since 2022 (€198.5 million in total)
The costs that individual citizens and businesses have had to bear since the MH17 disaster have not been assessed. It would be impossible to put a price on the suffering endured by the passengers’ next of kin.
Assessment to be used in State’s application for compensation
The government will use the cost assessment in legal proceedings currently before the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada. The Netherlands and Australia are jointly holding the Russian Federation responsible for the disaster and are seeking to recover the costs they have incurred. It is not yet known when the final application for compensation will be submitted or when a decision will be taken.
The updated assessment has been sent to the ministers concerned and to the House of Representatives and Senate. The organisation established by the next of kin, the MH17 Air Disaster Foundation, has also been informed.
The Court of Audit will continue to update its cost assessment until the State submits its final application for compensation.