White House calls Dutch report on MH17 crash 'milestone'

WASHINGTON: The Dutch Safety Board's report on the 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 is "important milestone in the effort to hold accountable those responsible" for the disaster, the White House said on Tuesday.

"The United States will fully support all efforts to bring to justice those responsible. Our assessment is unchanged - MH17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired from separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. The victims and their loved ones remain in our thoughts and prayers," National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dutch investigators said the aircraft was shot down over Ukraine by a Russian-built Buk missile.