Malaysia Airlines Plane With 298 Onboard Shot Down in Ukraine

A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 with 298 people on board is reported to have been shot down in Ukraine near the Russian border on Thursday evening.

This AFP picture reportedly shows the plane taking off from Schiphol in the Netherlands.

Malaysia Airlines said on its Twitter feed that it had lost contact with its flight MH-17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. "The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow," the Airline said.

A Reuters reporter said dozens of bodies were scattered around the smouldering wreckage of a passenger jet that had crashed in eastern Ukraine.

An emergency services rescue worker said at least 100 bodies had so far been found at the scene, near the village of Grabovo, and that debris from the wreckage was scattered across an area up to about 15 km in diametre.

Broken pieces of the wings were marked with blue and red paint - the same colours as the emblem of Malaysian Airlines.

A separatist leader in the region, Alexander Borodai, alleged that the airliner was shot shot by Ukrainian government forces, a charge which Ukraine's President has denied. The area has been the scene of fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia rebels.

Malaysian prime minister Mohd Najib Tun Razak said he is launching an immediate probe into the reported jetliner crash. PM Razak is reportedly heading to the crash site.

US president Barack Obama has reportedly spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone. The White House said President Obama has directed senior US officials to remain in close touch with Ukrainian officials about the plane.

The plane's wreckage was discovered near the village of Grabovo in eastern Ukraine close to the Russian border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for downing the plane while it was passing through the Ukrainian airspace.