Live: Malaysia Airlines crash updates as anger grows over "disrespectful" treatment of bodies by rebels
President Putin offers investigators secure access to wreckage, while the US claims to have damning evidence of Russian involvement in downing of flight
Another 21 bodies have been found in the sprawling fields of east Ukraine where Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was downed last week, killing all 298 people on board.
Local rescue workers piled 21 black body bags by the side of the road in Hrabove early today.
It was unclear how quickly they would be transported to refrigerated train cars in the nearby town of Torez, where the other bodies are being held.
Last night, Ukraine's emergency services agency said the total number of bodies found was 251.
8:27 am
A No 10 spokeswoman said Mr Cameron had made clear to Mr Putin that the shooting down of MH17 was "totally unacceptable".
Mr Cameron told the president that the "world was now watching" and he "must change course and work to bring stability to eastern Ukraine", the spokeswoman said.
She said: "The evidence suggested that pro-Russian separatists were responsible and the Prime Minister made clear that if Russia wants to put the blame elsewhere they would need to present compelling and credible evidence.
"The PM made clear that our priority is to get experts to the crash site so they can recover and repatriate the victims and collect any evidence necessary for the investigation.
"The PM emphasised that the families of 298 individuals need to know that everything is being done to make this happen and called on President Putin to use his influence on the pro-Russian separatists to ensure this happens.
"The delay and restrictions so far were completely unacceptable and indefensible.
"The PM said that the tragedy had brought into sharp focus the consequences of destabilisation in eastern Ukraine.
"The G7 and EU had repeatedly called on President Putin to cease support for the separatists and to work with the rest of the world to find a peaceful resolution. Russia's failure to do so had contributed to an appalling tragedy."
8:21 am
The brother of one of the victims of the missile attack on MH17 has reacted angrily to the tragedy.
Hugo Hoare lashed out at the lack of progress in having the body of victims of the crash including his brother Andrew, 59, sister-in-law Estella and their two children, Jasper, 15, and Friso, 12.
He said: "What the hell is going on? The fact that the rebels have taken the bodies concerns me.
"Are they taking care of them? What are they going to do with them? I just hope whatever they are doing is humane and their intention is just to release them at the appropriate time.
"The first thing I thought was what if they are going to use them as a bargaining chip? We just have to follow normal pressure through diplomatic channels and just hope there is a decent resolution at the end of it."
8:18 am
George Osborne added: "It is an open crash site, we need access, proper air accident investigators. Britain is working with America and Germany and other European countries to insist on that.
"But of course, as each day passes, not only does the crash site become more trashed, in the sense of people taking things away, but also, of course, the relatives of the victims grow angrier and even more upset than they are already because of the way the bodies have been treated.
"It is all the more reason why the international community must have access to the site and Russia holds the key to this."
Mr Osborne's remarks come as President Vladmir Putin's closest allies were threatened with European Union sanctions in the face of increasing frustration with the Russian leader's refusal to use the influence he holds over pro-Moscow separatists to secure the site where the Malaysia Airlines jet crashed.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who is expected to make a Commons statement on the disaster, told Mr Putin that his support for the rebels in eastern Ukraine had "contributed to an appalling tragedy" and the delay in experts being able to carry out their investigation was "indefensible".
8:01 am
George Osborne has said further sanctions will be considered against Russia if it fails to co-operate in efforts to secure the MH17 crash site.
The Chancellor said Russia "holds the key" to access to the "truly horrific" scene in eastern Ukraine, which is controlled by pro-Moscow separatists.
"We will consider further sanctions. Russia, of course, controls access to this part of the Ukraine, and I think that is an open secret," he told ITV's Good Morning Britain.
"What I would say to people at home - obviously it is a terrible tragedy - why does it matter? It matters for our security and our economy. We have got to live in a world where international borders are respected, where commercial airlines aren't at risk of being shot down.
"When you do sanctions, of course, there is always a potential for that to have an economic impact on you, but you have to consider the much bigger economic impact if you don't act."
7:41 am
George Osborne has appeared on Sky News where he said that economic sanctions are being considered for Russia.
He said that European countries are getting together to discuss the way to move forward.
He spoke about the economic impact of not implying sanctions and the Government work work in Britain's national interest.
He said: "I don't think anyone should doubt the resolve of David Cameron and Britain… to get to the bottom of what happened."
7:31 am
Vladimir Putin has hit out at critics who say he is using the downing of the plane for 'mercenary objectives'.
In a statement on the Kremlin website, he lashed out at Ukraine over ongoing violence with pro-Russian rebels in the eastern part of the country.
He said the tragedy is being used for others' "mercenary objectives", although he did not say specifically who.
Mr Putin also said he supports a crash investigation by a "full team of experts" under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a UN agency.
Since flight MH17 was downed over Ukraine last Thursday, killing everyone on board, the US and others have blamed Moscow, which they say supplies and trains the rebels.
6:49 am
Australia's prime minister voiced deep concern today that Russian-backed rebels remained in control of the crash site saying the site looked more like a "garden clean-up" than a forensic investigation.
At least 27 Australian passengers were among the 298 people on the Malaysia Airlines plane.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, speaking on a breakfast radio show, said he had spoken "overnight" to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time about the disaster, amid mounting horror over the treatment of victims' remains.
"He said all the right things and now we need him to be as good as his word," Abbott told 2GB radio, declining to comment in detail about his discussion with Putin.
Abbott is due to host Putin and other world leaders at the G20 Leaders Summit in November and is facing mounting calls to ban the Russian leader from participating.
"There's a lot of water that will almost certainly flow under the bridge between now and November and I just think it's unhelpful to start speculating about what might happen in four months now," he said.
6:47 am
Russia's ambassador to Australia has said that his country will allow full access to the crash site, but only if Moscow is not blamed for the disaster.
Speaking to the Australian Financial Review, ambassador Vladimir Morozov said Russia would support a UN resolution ensuring unfettered access to the site.
"This resolution is supported by Russia ... so long as it does not blame somebody," Morozov said in an interview, the newspaper reported.
6:12 am
Vladimir Putin's closest allies could be targeted by European Union sanctions as the West grows increasingly frustrated with Russia's leader over his refusal to use the influence he holds over pro-Moscow separatists to secure the MH17 crash site.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who is expected to make a Commons statement on the disaster, told the Russian president his support for the rebels in eastern Ukraine had "contributed to an appalling tragedy" and the delay in experts being able to carry out their investigation was "indefensible".
Mr Putin has released a statement, Sky News reported, in which he has promised to "do everything to ensure the security and safety" of experts investigating the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17".
He also said "all people" in Ukraine were responsible to the families of the 298 who died in the crash.
5:43 am
The family of MH17 victim Richard Mayne have been touched after donations totalling almost £2,000 were made to a JustGiving page he set up.
The Leeds University student took part in an Everest expedition in March to support UK-based children’s charity Kidasha, raising around £1,000.
But the figure has risen to £2,772 and counting in the days since his death on the Malaysian Airlines flight which was shot down over eastern Ukraine.
The maths and finance student, from Leicester, was diabetic and chose Kidasha because it was helping to fight high rates of the condition among children in the Kathmandu Valley.
Richard’s aunt Elizabeth Mayne said: “It’s brilliant to see that people are making donations, as it was a cause close to Richard’s heart. He did so much for charity and, like the Stephen Sutton appeal, it shows his life wasn’t in vain and his memory will be used to raise even more money. The donations and the comments are heartwarming and show what a loved person he was.”
5:42 am
The head of one of the world's largest airlines has called for an international meeting of carriers to agree a response to the downing of a Malaysian airliner - including a potential rethink of the threats posed by regional conflicts.
Tim Clark, president of Dubai's Emirates, the world's largest international airline by number of passengers, also said domestic regulators worldwide may decide to be more involved in giving their carriers guidance on where it is safe to fly.
5:41 am
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has slammed the treatment of the crash site by pro-Russian rebels.
At a press conference in Canberra this morning, he said the crash site looked "more like a garden clean up than a forensic investigation."
"Given that 38 Australians are among the dead it’s vital we get a properly secure site and a proper invesdtivation.
"In order to bring them home we first have to get them out.
"We want to retrieve the bodies and investigate the site and we want to punish the guilty."
Mr Abbott, who has sponsored the UN Security Council resolution for secure access to the site, said leaving Pro-Russian rebels in control of the crash site was "like leaving criminals in control of the crime scene."
He said that he had spoken to British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama overnight and several other World leaders.
He said the mood among the leaders he had spoken to was "firmer and sterner" than it had been the day after the crash.
Abbott said he had spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin overnight, and that he had "said all the right things," but refused to reveal what had been said between the pair.
The Australian leader said, however, that Putin must now be held to his word.
5:39 am
The UN Security Council is meeting in New York this morning to vote on a resolution that would condemn the downing of a Malaysian passenger plane in Ukraine.
It would also demand that those responsible be held accountable and that armed groups don't compromise the crash site integrity.
While Russia engaged in negotiations with the 15-member council on the resolution - drafted by Australia which lost 28 citizens - it was unclear if it would support the final version, said diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Stay with us for the result of the vote when it is announced.
5:07 am
Welcome to our live blog bringing you all up to date news and reaction following the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine.
To recap the key events overnight:
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has labelled the pro-Russian rebels' management of the crash site "shambolic."
He said allowing them to hold the area was like letting "criminals control the crime scene."
The bodies of dozens of victims have been stored on refrigerated train wagons 9 miles from the main crash site. The driver of the train told reporters that he had no idea where they would be taken.
The revelation has fuelled growing anger over the treatment of the remains of victims.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has offered international investigators secure access to the crash site THREE days after Flight MH17 was downed.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US has seen emphatic evidence of Russian complicity in the downing of the jet.
British prime minister David Cameron called for the outrage to be turned into "a moment of action to find those who committed this crime and bring them to justice."
The family of British MH17 victim Richard Mayne have been touched after donations totalling almost £2,000 were made to a JustGiving page he set up.
The family of British MH17 victim Richard Mayne have been touched after donations totalling almost £2,000 were made to a JustGiving page he set up.
Sunderland fans put their rivalry aside to raise money in tribute to Newcastle fans John Adler, 63, and Liam Sweeney, 28, who were on their way to watch their side in New Zealand.
Video footage appeared to show that the black box recorders from MH17 have been found, although it is unclear what has been done with them.
It was revealed that a cyclist who was due to fly on doomed flight MH370 but changed planes at the last minute has cheated death for a second time, after swapping off flight MH17 because he found a cheaper fare.
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