THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Forensic teams fanned out across the Netherlands yesterday to collect material that will help positively identify the remains of victims killed in the downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine. Families and friends of the dead huddled to console one another at churches, schools and sports clubs across the nation.

Altius, a small soccer club on the edge of the central city of Hilversum, was typical of scenes that played out across the Netherlands.

A couple of dozen members held a small ceremony at Altius’ clubhouse to remember a family of four killed in the crash, as the team’s flag fluttered at half-staff in the warm afternoon breeze.

Charles Smallenburg was a long-time volunteer at the club, his young son Werther a promising striker in the D1 youth team, club chairman Tom Verdam told The Associated Press after the brief get-together. Charles’ wife Therese and daughter Carlijn also died, the club said.

As Hilversum’s mayor walked away and families unlocked their bicycles behind him and cycled homeward, Verdam said the commemoration was simple, but emotional.

“We had a moment that we could each share emotions and talk about it,” he said. “It’s a small club, so everyone knows everyone.”

The same could almost be said for this nation of 17 million people.

“Everybody knows somebody,” was the front-page headline of national newspaper NRC Weekend.

While grieving continued, the task of identifying bodies strewn over Ukrainian fields since last Thursday’s crash got under way.

Police said in a tweet that 40 pairs of detectives from the National Forensic Investigations Team would be visiting victims’ relatives over the coming days. Other Dutch forensic experts were en route to the crash scene, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said in Ukraine.

Their aim is to build a database of material including DNA and photographs of distinguishing features like scars and tattoos that can be used to identify bodies and body parts recovered from the crash site in eastern Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines said 193 of the 298 passengers and crew killed in last Thursday’s aviation disaster were Dutch.

The airline released the full list of passengers and crew yesterday and appealed to family and friends of the victims to contact the carrier so it can get a full picture of the next of kin.