KUALA LUMPUR—A plane carrying the remains of 20 Malaysians shot down on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine landed here Friday as the Southeast Asia nation planned a day of mourning.

Among the remains of Malaysians killed on Flight 17 returning home are two members of a family of six, a step that will help begin closure for their relatives, a cousin said.

(Latest: Malaysia Honors Flight 17 Victims as Remains Are Returned)

"Having accepted their death as the will of Allah, the next step is to move on," said Azfar Aza, who planned to be at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport when the Malaysia Airlines plane carrying the remains arrived.

"Having their bodies helps us somewhat—it's a start."