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Parents of MH17 victims release statement

The parents of three Perth children who were killed with their grandfather in the MH17 tragedy in Ukraine have released a statement detailing the "intense and relentless" pain that consumes them.
Evie, Mo and Otis Maslin tragically died when their plane was shot down over Ukraine

Evie, Mo and Otis Maslin. Picture: DFAT

Mo, 12, Evie, 10, and Otis Maslin, 8, died with their grandfather Nick Norris when the Malaysia Airlines jet they were travelling home on was shot down.

In a statement issued through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Anthony Maslin and Marite Norris said the expression of love from family and friends was keeping them alive.

“Our pain is intense and relentless. We live in a hell beyond hell,” the statement read. “Our babies are not here with us – we need to live with this act of horror, every day and every moment for the rest of our lives. No one deserves what we are going through. Not even the people who shot our whole family out of the sky.”

The couple’s children were returning back to Australia with their grandfather to get ready for the new school term following a family holiday. Their parents decided to stay on in Europe for a bit longer.

“No hate in the world is as strong as the love we have for our children, for Mo, for Evie, for Otis,” they said. “No hate in the world is as strong as the love we have for Grandad Nick. No hate in the world is as strong as the love we have for each other. This is a revelation that gives us some comfort. We would ask everyone to remember this when you are making any decisions that affect us and the other victims of this horror.”

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