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Aust'n parents of 3 children lost aboard MH17 welcome new baby

Xinhua, May 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

A Western Australian couple whose three children perished in the downing of Malaysian Airline flight MH17 have announced the birth of a new baby girl, almost two years on from the tragedy.

On Thursday, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) released a statement confirming grief-stricken parents Anthony Maslin and Marite Norris had welcomed their fourth child, Violet May Maslin, into the world Wednesday.

The couple's first three children, as well as Norris' father Nick, died when the Boeing 777 airliner, travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down while flying over Ukraine on July 17, 2014.

The pair hailed the Violet's birth as an "amazing gift."

"Violet's birth is a testament to our belief that love is stronger than hate," the couple's statement read on Thursday.

"We still live with pain, but Violet, and the knowledge that all four kids are with us always, brings light to our darkness."

All 298 passengers aboard the commercial flight were killed, including 38 Australian nationals. Endit