Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman on Friday updated reporters on the latest on repatriating the bodies of those killed in the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 incident.

"All four refrigerators with bodies of innocent victims have been unloaded. And information from 6pm (3pm GMT) is that experts already processed 378 packages with remains of innocent victims," he said.

"The team has prepared 227 special coffins to transport bodies to the Netherlands for identification. 180 coffins have been already sent, others will be sent tomorrow morning," he added.

Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, hundreds of people, including flight attendants and families of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines jet, joined a multi-faith prayer service.

Two more planes departed Kharkiv airport on Friday with a further 74 coffins containing bodies and remains from the crash.

All 298 people aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 - most of them Dutch citizens - were killed when the plane went down on 17 July.

AP TELEVISION

Kiev, Ukraine

1. Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman speaking at news conference

2. Cutaway of journalists

3. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Volodymyr Groysman, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine:

"All four refrigerators with bodies of innocent victims have been unloaded. And information from 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) is that experts already processed 378 packages containing remains of innocent victims."

4. Groysman speaking at news conference

5. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Volodymyr Groysman, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine:

"At this time the team has prepared 227 special coffins to transport bodies to the Netherlands for identification. 180 coffins have been already sent, others will be sent tomorrow morning."

6. Cutaway of cameramen

7. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Volodymyr Groysman, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine:

"Today an important issue is to ratify the signed agreement (between Ukraine and the Netherlands about leading cooperation in the investigation). Then the international police mission can be involved and provide a security for experts who will work on the crash site. Today we concentrated on this."

8. Cutaway of journalists typing

9. Cameraman

10. Groysman speaking at news conference

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

11. Audience and speaker at multi-faith prayer service held by Malaysia Airlines

12. Speaker on stage at multi-faith service

13. Malaysia Airlines flight attendants crying

14. People crying at multi-faith service

15. Screen reading (English) "In memory of MH17 and remembering MH 370"

16. Various of Taoist priests holding Taoist prayer session

17. Malaysia Airlines flight attendants hugging each other

18. SOUNDBITE (English), Shanti (no last name given), a flight attendant at Malaysia Airlines:

"There is no words can express what I am feeling inside towards the families. It's not easy to.... I just want to say so sorry for the loss of their loved ones and I pray that they have peace."

19. People who attended the service talking

20. SOUNDBITE (English), (no name given) whose nephew was on board of the missing MH370:

"How would you feel if your family was on board? That's the same feeling. But we have to pray harder to try better. We are all praying for Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and everybody in Malaysia, and for all the countries as well."

21. Various of people crying and hugging after the multi faith prayer service

A legal discussion is underway trying to decide who would legally have custody over the black box of missing plane MH370 should it be found, the Malaysian Defence Minister said on Sunday.

Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also the acting Transport Minister, told journalists, "The Attorney General is in the UK discussing exactly that."

"The ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) and the experts involved in identifying, based on international law and domestic law, who actually does have custody over the black box. But I would like to address that when we actually do find the black box," he said.

Meanwhile hundreds of Buddhist devotees offered a prayer for the missing passengers of MH370 at the Kechara forest retreat in Bentong, Pahang district, about two hours drive east of Kuala Lumpur.

"We like to offer our prayer and strength to search for this MH370. That's why today, we're here to offer our prayer," said Liow Tiong Lai, leader of the Malaysia Chinese Association.

"Every moment, our thought is always with the family members, our thought is always with them, to give them strength approach this difficult time," he said.

The Malaysia Airlines flight was carrying 239 people - most of them Chinese - when it disappeared 8 March en route from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing.

AP TELEVISION

Kuala Lumpur

1. Malaysian Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein arriving at news conference

2. Journalists taking notes

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysian Defence Minister and acting Transport Minister:

"The Attorney General is in the UK discussing exactly that. The ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) and the experts involved in identifying, based on international law and domestic law, who actually does have custody over the black box. But I would like to address that when we actually do find the black box."

4. Wide of news conference

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysian Defence minister and acting Transport Minister:

"The four issues that police are still investigating which is the possible hijacking, issue of terrorism, psychological and personal problems. That is on going thing, I don't think the IGP (Inspector-General of Police) would have meant that they have all been cleared. Because unless we find more information, specifically on data in the black box."

6. Wide of journalists

7. Various of Hishammuddin leaving

Bentong, Pahang

8. Close of Buddhist pastor ringing a bell

9. Mid of Buddhist pastors during the prayer

10. Tilt of Malaysia Chinese Association (MCA) leader, Liow Tiong Lai praying

11. Wide of people praying with Buddhist statue in the background

12. Close of pictures of the passengers of the missing flight MH 370

13. Mid of people praying, banner in the background reads (English) "Pray for MH 370"

14. Wide of prayer ceremony

15. Mid of MCA leader, Liow Tiong Lai speaking to media

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysia Chinese Association leader:

"We like to offer our prayer and strength to search for this MH370. That's why today, we're here to offer our prayer."

17. Mid of journalists

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysia Chinese Association leader:

"Every moment, our thought is always with the family members, our thought is always with them, to give them strength approach this difficult time."

19. Various of people praying

20. Mid of people carrying a candles

21. Wide of Buddhist statue with people putting candles in front of it

SHOTLIST

Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok

1. Pan from ceiling of check-in area of Suvarnabhumi airport to group of stranded passengers who were due to travel to Saudi Arabia to make the annual Hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca

2. Two Muslim women seated

3. Man asleep on bench seat

4. Woman asleep on floor

5. Man pulls blanket over himself

6. Various of passengers standing and waiting

7. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Anwar Salaeh, stranded traveller:

"The solution is that the government should prepare a charter flight to take these people out of here to Malaysia. Because Iran Air is waiting there. Because the plane doesn't want to come here. So I think the government should put on a charter for them to take them out to their destination."

8. Wide of people sitting

9. Woman wrapping luggage

10. Close of woman waiting

11. Wide of woman pushing luggage trolley

Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok

12. Various, PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) supporters gathered at airport

13. Wide of PAD supporters chanting and waving Thailand flags

14. More PAD supporters

15. Various, barbed wire with Thailand flag at PAD checkpoint at one of the entrances of the airport

16. Close of PAD guard with balaclava mask

17. Vehicles passing through PAD checkpoint

18. SOUNDBITE (Thai) Charlie Chantadoon, PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) guard:

''If you asking me if we are afraid... we want the police to come, we are not afraid and we want them to come. Please come. We don't want them to lie any more. We are always ready. And we want to know what they want to do to innocent people.''

19. PAD guards with batons and hard hats

20. PAD guard watching police with binoculars

21. Low shot police loading helmets into police van

22. Pan of police vans and police outside airport

23. Group of police standing

24. Police sitting inside

25. Various of police outside airport

Don Muang Airport, Bangkok

++NIGHT SHOTS++

26. Various, PAD supporters taking cover after hearing (possible) gunshots

STORYLINE

Thai Airways said on Friday that it would arrange special flights for hundreds of stranded Thai Muslims, who were planning to travel to Saudi Arabia this week for the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

The pilgrims are among thousands of travellers who have been stranded since anti-government protesters' group, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), occupied the main international Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday and the smaller Don Muang airport on Wednesday.

The airline said it would arrange a special flight later on Friday for about 250 pilgrims from Hat Yai in southern Thailand, with more such flights planned in the coming days.

Thailand's government has backed off on its threat to forcibly remove protesters occupying Bangkok's two airports, saying police will attempt to negotiate instead.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat declared a state of emergency at the airports, suggesting an imminent crackdown on the yellow-kerchiefed PAD.

But eight hours later, government spokesman Nattawut Sai-Kau said police had been instructed to get the protesters out of airports as soon as possible in a "peaceful manner".

Protesters appeared not to be convinced - as police massed nearby and the PAD prepared for confrontation, suspected gunfire caused near-panic at Don Muang airport in the early hours of Friday morning.

People crouched behind cars or scurried for safety after a volley of about eight sharp cracks rang out at Don Muang, Thailand's domestic flight hub.

More were heard two hours later but it is still unclear who was firing.

It follows days of tension, with gunfire and bomb attacks, targeting both the anti-government side and their opponents and resulting in several deaths.

So far police have not made a move to clear the thousands of demonstrators from the sites. The demonstrators are refusing to move from their barbed-wire barricades, insisting they are not afraid of a showdown with the police.

The government's unwillingness to deploy security forces has raised doubts about whether Somchai has the support of police and the army, a powerful institution that has traditionally played a key role in the country's politics.

Army commander General Anupong Paochinda has so far been neutral in the political turmoil, and even urged Somchai to call new elections, triggering speculation of a military coup.

The number of Nepalis working abroad has grown significantly in recent years, yet the number of those who come home dead has risen far more dramatically.

Over 5,000 workers from this small Asian country have died working abroad since 2008, more than the number of US troops killed in the Iraq War.

Yet hundreds still continue to fly out of the Kathmandu airport bound for jobs mostly in Malaysia, Qatar or Saudi Arabia - jobs that are urgently needed by the people of this desperately poor country.

Many come back dead, in wooden caskets, rolled like suitcases out of baggage claim on luggage carts.

That fate happened to Balkisun Mandal Khatwe.

On the wooden lid of one coffin someone has written in black marker: "Human Remains, Balkisun Mandal Khatwe, Male - 26 years - Nepali."

Balkisun's 26-year old wife Saro Kumari Mandal is a bundle of grief as she prepares to take her husband's body back to their village.

It is a hidden and baffling tragedy.

Until now the causes have been accepted by local officials and families as a complete mystery.

Among the more than 5,000 deaths since 2009, 30 percent are listed as natural deaths, other or unexplained and another 20 percent are listed as cardiac arrest.

Most families are told their loved ones went to bed and didn't wake up.

The suspected killer has a name: Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome or SUDS.

The government of Nepal has 10 trucks with custom-welded coffin racks to carry bodies to rural villages.

When the truck carrying Balkisun's coffin reached his native village Belhi after an eight-hour journey, hundreds of women, men and children poured into the narrow dirt street, tears streaming down their faces.

In Hindu mythology, if you don't see the face of a loved one, you will not believe they have died.

Saro, sobbing and screaming, was shoved forward to look.

Balkisun was working for Habtoor Leighton Group in Qatar, loading trucks to build new highways.

The highway was being built as part of broader infrastructure improvements for the 2022 World Cup, his supervisor said.

HLG did not respond to requests for an interview.

Australia-based CIMIC, a 45 percent owner of HLG, said in a statement they did not want to comment.

Balkisun's brother Ramkisun, 30, flew back from Malaysia where he was working in factories making Sony and Panasonic products when he learned of Balkisun's death.

He said things were "very difficult" for the family with no farming and lack of water.

Some workers come back maimed or disabled.

Salit Mandal rolled off the third-level bunk in Malaysia and smashed in his skull.

He's in debt, partially paralysed, and lives with his parents.

His family had pinned their hopes on him after he returned from an earlier stint in Qatar with enough money to build a five-bedroom house.

It is hopes like this that lead hundreds of young men to still gather everyday at Kathmandu's one-stop work permit government centre known as the Labour Village, seeking final work approvals.

While a spokeswoman from the Department of Foreign Employment Rama Bhattarai was quite happy to shrug off the death toll.

Nepal exports iron and steel, carpets, some vegetables - but mainly, Nepal exports men, about 500,000 a year.

The unskilled workers, ages 18 to 40, build highways and houses in Gulf states and guard shopping malls and assemble televisions in Malaysia.

They borrow at 36 percent interest rates from money lenders or sell off family land to get the 1,100 US dollar stake needed for recruiters, airline tickets and more.

They live 12 to 15 to a room, sleeping stacked on three-tiered bunks, working 10 to 15 hour days, seven days a week, for years.

If they're lucky, and some are, they can come home with a wad of cash. Often, however, they are tricked or cheated out of their earnings.

About 10 percent of Nepal's 28 million residents are working abroad, sending back almost 6 billion US dollars a year.

While it's true more Nepali migrant labourers seem to die abroad than equally vulnerable Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi and Indonesian co-workers, the reason for the increased mortality isn't clear, say researchers.

An international consortium is launching next year to investigate and hopefully offer solutions.

Kathmandu - 22 November 2016

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Coffin with the body of Nepali migrant worker Balkisun Mandal Khatwe being bought out of airport on trolleys

2. Tilt up of name written on the coffin (English) "Balkisun Mandal Khatwe, Male - 26 years – Nepali"

3. Coffin being loaded onto a vehicle

4. Balkisun's wife Saro Kumari Mandal with her father-in-law, sitting inside vehicle

5. Vehicle leaving Kathmandu airport

Kathmandu - 21 November 2016

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kumud Khanal, Vice-president, Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA):

"Sleeping death, like, we get the report that he was talking with friends in the evening, had dinner and went to bed. In the morning found dead. So this was like, whenever I go through the reports of the police, they say that it's hypertension, means like heart attack or cardiac problem, something like that."

Belhi Village - 23 November 2016

7. Vehicle carrying Balkisun's coffin en route to his native village

8. Vehicle on the dusty, partially constructed road

9. Coffin being taken down from the vehicle

10. Top angle shot of people gathered around the coffin

11. Various of Balkisun's wife Saro wailing as she looks at her husband's dead body

12. Wide of funeral procession making its way through dusty village road

13. Wide of village signboard reading (Nepali and English) "Belhi" as funeral procession passes by

14. Man chopping up coffin lid with an axe to get wood for burning in the funeral pyre

15. Balkisun's 3-year-old son being helped to light the funeral pyre

16. Balkisun's brother Ramkisun watching the pyre burning

17. SOUNDBITE (Nepali) Ramkisun Mandal, brother of Balkisun:

"It is very difficult for us, but here we do not have much farming that we can live on, not much water available and little production of rice. What choice do we have but to go abroad looking for employment? For poor people like us, how can we live, what do we eat?"

Parikauli Village - 24 November 2016

18. Wide of village, man riding on bike

19. Salit Mandal, who returned home from Malaysia after suffering partial paralysis following a fall from his third level bunk bed, walking out of his room with the help of a cane

20. Shadow of Salit Mandal

21. Close of injury on Salit's head

22. SOUNDBITE (Nepali) Salit Mandal, former overseas worker:

"I am not able to work now because I can't move my hands and legs. What work can I do? I am not able to start my own business either because I don't have any money with me. What business can I do without money?"

Kathmandu - 25 November 2016

23. Wide of work permit government centre known as the Labour Village

24. Crowd waiting outside the permit centre

25. SOUNDBITE (Nepali) Rama Bhattarai, Spokesperson, Department of Foreign Employment:

"People also die in Nepal, like when there is any accident in Nepal there can be 50-60 people killed at the same time, which is the reality. But when people die abroad, the news comes in the media and people hear about it. But the problem is most of the people who go abroad and die are young people."

Kathmandu - 22 November 2016

++NIGHT SHOTS++

25. Flight information monitor showing many flights going to the Middle East, the destination of most Nepali workers travelling abroad

26. Various of Nepali workers travelling abroad gathered at the special entrance for them at Kathmandu airport

27. Tilt up from the luggage on trolley to Jagattar Dastatma, a worker from Honsawada region leaving for Qatar

28. SOUNDBITE (Nepali) Jagattar Dastatma, worker travelling to Qatar:

"I feel sad, very sad about the deaths. But I have to go as I have small children with no opportunity and very little earnings. The money I earn in Nepal would not be enough to feed and raise my children, so I am going to Qatar."

29. Various of coffins arriving at the airport being wheeled along on trolleys