British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday urged all governments concerned to "get to the bottom of what happened and how it happened" to Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which crashed Thursday in eastern Ukraine with more than 290 people onboard.

"It is an absolutely appalling, shocking, horrific incident that has taken place and we have got to get to the bottom of what happened and how it happened. We have some information but we need to find more," Cameron said in a statement.

"If, as seems possible, the plane was brought down then those responsible must be held to account and we must lose no time in doing that," he noted, adding that the "absolutely shocking" incident "cannot be allowed to stand."

The prime minister called on all governments concerned to cooperate in investigating the incident.

"What is absolutely necessary is for all governments to cooperate in every way they can to get to the bottom of what happened, to make sure that this site can be properly investigated, and to make sure that the bodies of loved ones can be properly recovered," he urged.