World leaders, including US President Barack Obama today demanded an "unimpeded" international probe into the downing of a Malaysian jet over Ukraine and bringing to justice those responsible for the tragic incident that killed all 298 people on board.
There were 298 people, including 154 Dutch nationals, on board the Malaysia Airlines flight that crashed in strife- torn eastern Ukraine yesterday. During a call with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Obama said "the United States was prepared to contribute immediate assistance to support a prompt, full, credible and unimpeded international investigation. "The president and prime minister agreed on the need to assure immediate access to the site of the incident to international investigators in order to facilitate the recovery of remains and to carry out a thorough investigation," the White House said in a statement.
Joe Biden, Angela Merkel and other leaders also commented on the tragedy.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said that Ukrainian authorities believe the Boeing 777-200 was shot down. Ukraine's government accuses pro-Russian separatists fighting Ukrainian forces in the east of the country of shooting it down in a "terrorist act". But Russia's defense ministry said it had picked up radar unit activity from a Ukrainian-controlled 'Buk' missile system on the day the Malaysian airliner crashed.
Obama also spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, stressing that evidence from the airliner must not be moved from the country until a "thorough and transparent" probe has taken place.
In London, British Prime Minister David Cameron said that if it is confirmed a Malaysian airliner was shot down over Ukraine, those responsible "must be brought to account". Cameron called a meeting of the government's emergency committee Cobra today in the wake of the crash that claimed the lives of nine Britons.
"If, as seems possible, this was brought down then those responsible must be brought to account and we must lose no time in doing that," Cameron said after the meeting. "It is an absolutely shocking incident and cannot be allowed to stand."
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