Prime Minister David Cameron has appeared to rebuke a Sky News reporter who touched items in a victim's suitcase during a live broadcast at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Cameron (pictured, Reuters) said people leafing through victims' belongings and suitcases was "completely inappropriate" and called on the media and pro-Russian separatists to understand they are dealing with "effectively a murder scene".
Sky News apologised after its foreign reporter Colin Brazier picked up a toiletry bag and a set of keys from an open suitcase full of the victim's belongings during a live broadcast from the scene.
He appeared to realise his mistake, telling the audience: "We shouldn't really be doing this, I suppose." He wrote an article in The Guardian today to explain his "screw up".
Related
Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed on Thursday last week, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board.
Taking questions from MPs on the crash yesterday, Cameron told the Commons: "Having watched some of this absolutely harrowing coverage, there are moments when it's quite clear that people are leafing through personal belongings and suitcases in a way that's just completely inappropriate.
"That has mostly been the separatists that have been doing that but there have been occasions I think when mistakes have been made by members of the press.
"I think people have to understand that this is effectively a murder scene but also a scene where there are people's loved ones who they are desperately worried about and want to know whether they will be able to be brought home and people should behave in an appropriate way."
He had been asked by Tory Bill Cash: "You rightly focused and emphasised the needs of the victims and their families.
"Do you accept that sometimes media reporting can be insensitive and can actually create greater bereavement and distress as a result?
"And would you urge the media to try and do whatever they can to make sure that the situation is not made worse by the reporting?"
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
