Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte pictured at a meeting at The Hague earlier this week. Abbott visited the Netherlands to discuss the progress of the MH17 investigation.  The Netherlands lost 193 citizens, while Australia lost 38 citizens and residents in the crash on July 17.

AFP

Malaysia said on Thursday that the remains of 16 victims aboard downed Flight MH17 will repatriated on August 22, declaring it a day of national mourning.

Coffins bearing the remains will arrive on a special flight and be received by the country's king, prime minister and other dignitaries to a minute of silence at Kuala Lumpur's main international airport, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a statement.

The remains will then be brought to the next-of-kins' hometowns throughout the country where they will be laid to rest, he said.

The 16 victims comprise 15 Malaysians and a Dutch citizen who was born in Malaysia.

The Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine on July 17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 on board.

More than 220 coffins filled with remains have been taken to the Netherlands for identification, but the search for body parts is still not complete due to fighting around the crash site.

Of those aboard, 193 were Dutch and 43 were Malaysians, including 15 crew members.

Muhyiddin said a further eight Malaysians had already been identified and would be sent back in stages pending completion of forensic work.