Three young children travelling with their grandfather were among those killed on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, it has emerged.
Mo Maslin, 12, Evie, 10, and Otis, eight, were on their way back to Perth, Australia, with their grandad Nick Norris.
The family had been on holiday in Europe and their parents had decided to stay on in Amsterdam for a few days before returning.
Reports suggest Mr Norris had been taking the children back early to make sure they were home in time to start school.
The number of Britons killed in the Malaysia Airlines crash in eastern Ukraine has risen to nine.
Among the dead are World Health Organisation media officer Glenn Thomas, Newcastle United fans John Alder and Liam Sweeney, Leeds University student Richard Mayne and Loughborough University student Ben Pocock.
Flight MH17 was said by eyewitnesses to have “exploded” after it was reportedly shot down by a ground-to-air missile.
In a statement released this morning, Malaysia Airlines said: “With immediate effect, all European flights operated by Malaysia Airlines will be taking alternative routes avoiding the usual route.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was on a scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur went down in eastern Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines confirms that the aircraft did not make a distress call.
“The usual flight route was earlier declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.
