The final report on the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine a year ago will be published on October 13, according to the Dutch safety board which is leading the research project.

The draft report was sent to the six countries involved in the tragedy in June and they were given 60 days to make comments. Relatives will be briefed before the final publication, the board said.

Some aspects of the report have already been leaked. CNN said it will include evidence that the flight was shot down by a BUK rocket fired by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. However, other sources say the report will not place any blame.

An initial report by the council last September said Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was brought down by a large number of high-energy projectiles hitting the outside of the plane.

The penetration of the projectiles into the plane probably caused so much damage that it broke up in the air, the report said.

All 298 people on board the plane were killed in the disaster. Most of them were Dutch holidaymakers.