Emergency workers at the site of Thursday’s air crash in Ukraine in which 193 Dutch nationals died say they have recovered 196 bodies so far.

However, there are reports that some of the bodies have been taken away by Russian militia in the area and it is unclear if rescue workers are now being given greater access to the disaster area.

According to the BBC, at least 160 bodies have been loaded onto refrigerated rail wagons in the nearby rebel-held town of Torez, the broadcaster quotes the OSCE as saying.

Priority

On Saturday, Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte told reporters it is time for Russian president Vladimir Putin to exercise his influence on the pro-Russian militia.

‘I want to see results in the form of unhindered access and speedy recovery of the victims’ remains. This is now priority number one,’ Rutte said.

A number of Dutch MPs are cutting short their summer recess following the MH17 air disaster. The plane was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur and was carrying many families going on holiday.

Members of parliament’s foreign affairs committee want to be briefed by foreign affairs minister Frans Timmermans and justice minister Ivo Opstelten, broadcaster Nos reported. Timmermans returned to the Netherlands from Kiev in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Defence

Meanwhile Dutch defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert has spoken to US defence secretary Chuck Hagel about the crash by phone, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The pair stressed ‘the difficulty investigators are experiencing in gaining unimpeded and secure access to the crash site,’ Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

In addition, Hennis-Plasschaert ‘highlighted the Netherlands’ desire to have the victims returned to their families as soon as possible, balanced with the need to support and complete a credible investigation,’ Kirby said.

Sanctions

Meanwhile, Britain’s foreign secretary Philip Hammond has said the UK would seek to persuade the EU ‘to go further in terms of sanctions against Russia ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday, the BBC reported.

Ten British nationals were killed when the Boeing 777 was brought down.

British prime minister David Cameron said in the Sunday Times newspaper ‘this is an outrage made in Moscow’.

BBC round-up of the facts so far
Brief lives: some of the victims
Tribute to Expatica.com’s managing partner Antoine van Veldhuizen