Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, pictured in 2013, announced on September 6, 2014 that he will send a team of investigators to eastern Ukraine to retrieve any remains still at the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash site. (UPI/Mohammed Salem/Pool) | License Photo

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced Saturday that Malaysia will dispatch investigators to the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine to retrieve any remaining body parts.

"We intend to send our teams to the crash site as soon as possible," said the prime minister.


The Boeing 777 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile on July 17 as it flew over territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed militants. All 298 people on board the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were killed.

Access to the crash site, which spanned miles, was initially hindered by the presence of armed pro-Russian separatists.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott acknowledged, "It's quite likely that there are remains still left strewn across the fields in eastern Ukraine."

The Dutch Safety Board is expected to release a preliminary investigation report into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on Tuesday.