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Prayers across Netherlands for Ukraine crash dead

People gather to commemorate at St. Vitus church in Hilversum, Netherlands, Saturday, July 19, 2014. Three families living in Hilversum were among those killed when a Malaysian jetliner was shot down over Ukraine Thursday. All passengers, 298 people from nearly a dozen nations, more than half being Dutch were killed. Across the Netherlands, at sports clubs, schools and churches, friends met Saturday to console each another and attempt to come to terms with their loss. Sign reads: 'Commemoration victims plane crash.' (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis) People gather to commemorate at St. Vitus church in Hilversum, Netherlands, Saturday, July 19, 2014. Three families living in Hilversum were among those killed when a Malaysian jetliner was shot down over Ukraine Thursday. All passengers, 298 people from nearly a dozen nations, more than half being Dutch were killed. Across the Netherlands, at sports clubs, schools and churches, friends met Saturday to console each another and attempt to come to terms with their loss. Sign reads: 'Commemoration victims plane crash.' (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)

By Associated Press July 20, 2014 1 min read

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – Worshippers at church services across the Netherlands are praying for the victims of the Ukraine air disaster and their next of kin, as anger builds over the separatist rebels’ hindering of the investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

The chairman of the Dutch Bishops Conference, Cardinal Wim Eijk, has called on church-goers to “pray for strength and courage for the relatives” at services Sunday.

Amid the grieving, Prime Minister Mark Rutte is pushing for Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence over the rebels in eastern Ukraine to ensure a full investigation into the tragedy that killed 298 passengers and crew, including 193 Dutch citizens.