International experts planning to visit the MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine have been forced to abandon their plans today, according to OSCE officials.

On-going fighting between pro-Russia separatists and government soldiers has reportedly rendered the trip too dangerous.

Alexander Hug, the deputy head of a monitoring team from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said it would be too dangerous for the unarmed mission to travel to the area from its current location in the rebel-held city of Donetsk.

It was not immediately clear where precisely clashes had broken out.

According to the Associated Press, a dozen Dutch policemen in armored SUVs had been travelling to the scene of the disaster to secure the site, which investigators complain has already been compromised.

Rebel interference and security concerns have limited investigators' access to the site. International observers say there are still remains at the scene.
(The Independent)