The News Minute | July 18, 2014 | 08:08 am IST

Wellington: The New Zealand government on Friday called for an unhindered investigation into the crash of Malaysia Airlines MH17 while condoling the victims' families.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the crash was a tragedy. "It is important that the matter be fully investigated and we call for independent investigators to be allowed access to the crash site," Xinhua quoted McCully as saying in a statement.

"Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade are following up on indications that at least one New Zealand passport holder, and other passengers with New Zealand connections, may have been on board," he said.

Around 295 people were believed to have been aboard the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft when it crashed in Ukraine en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur and reports suggested many of them were travelling onwards to Australia and New Zealand.

With IANS