UK student confirmed as MH17 victim

A British student flying out to attend the University of Western Australia has been formally identified as one of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 air crash over Ukraine in July.

Ben Pocock, 20, from Keynsham, Bristol, was a second year international business degree student at Loughborough University, flying out to begin a professional placement and to study at the Perth university as part of his third year.

All 298 people on board the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur died when the jet was shot down on July 17 over an area of Ukraine controlled by pro-Russia separatists.

The victims of the crash included 38 Australian citizens and residents, 10 Britons, 43 Malaysians and 195 Dutch nationals.

In a statement issued through Avon and Somerset Police on Wednesday, Pocock's parents, Jeremy and Louise, said their son had been formally identified.

"We can confirm that Ben was a victim of the disaster," they said.

"We would like to thank all those who have sent us messages of support and tributes to Ben, and we would ask to be allowed to grieve and come to terms with our loss."

Speaking after the tragedy, Pocock's family paid tribute to him in a statement to the Press Association.

"He was a gifted academic, talented athlete, but more importantly a warm, caring, fun-loving son and brother who had an extremely bright future ahead of him," they said.