MH17 victims’ family: Airline lacking compassion

In this undated photo released by the Calehr family, Miguel Panduwinata, left, Mika Panduwinata, Samira Calehr, second from right, and Shaka Panduwinata, right, pose for a photo. Shaka Panduwinata and his brother Miguel Panduwinata were killed aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/The Calehr family) In this undated photo released by the Calehr family, Miguel Panduwinata, left, Mika Panduwinata, Samira Calehr, second from right, and Shaka Panduwinata, right, pose for a photo. Shaka Panduwinata and his brother Miguel Panduwinata were killed aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine. (AP Photo/The Calehr family)

By Associated Press July 26, 2014 1 min read

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – The family of two brothers killed in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 is unhappy that the carrier has offered them no grief counselling in more than a week and is refusing to organize a flight home to Houston for the boys’ grandmother.

Harun Calehr, the uncle of victims Miguel and Shaka Panduwinata, said Saturday the family’s frustration has grown as they felt they had to haggle for help in the days after the Boeing 777 was shot down over Ukraine.

Calehr says, “Everything that we got, we had to fight for.”

In a reaction emailed to The Associated Press, Malaysia Airlines says it will “continuously focus to care for the family members affected by MH17 to the best of our ability.”