Funeral for Ben Pocock, victim of Malaysian Airlines MH17, to be held on Monday

The funeral of Ben Pocock, a second year who died in the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 crash will be held next week on Monday (December 1) at St. John’s Church in Keynsham. 

The tragedy occurred when the plane travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpa was shot down by Russian Separatists over Ukraine. All 298 people on board were tragically killed.

Ben, 20, was studying International Business having just completed his second year at Loughborough. Ben was flying out to begin his placement in Perth, and was also due to study at the University of Western Australia.

Mr and Mrs Pocock released a heartfelt statement which said, “Although we have had a very hard time as a family we are very conscious that there are still nine passengers from the flight that have not yet been identified.

“Our hearts are with their families and we hope they soon receive the news they are desperately waiting for.

“The forthcoming funeral is about Ben but we will also wish to remember all the other 297 victims of MH17, especially the 80 children and numerous young adults. They did not deserve to die in such brutal circumstances.

“We would like to pay tribute to the local community for the support we have received.”

The university also commented:

“Ben was an excellent student who was on course to get a First, and also a talented athlete, playing on the University Athletic Union’s Ultimate Frisbee team and winning their ‘Player of the Year’ honour.

Ben will be very much missed by the many friends he had both within the School of Business and Economics and the wider University, and the School as a whole feels this loss deeply.”