MH17 Separatists rebels in eastern Ukraine said they would allow investigators access to the crash site of Malaysia Airlines MH17, a news report said today.

The Ukrainian rescue team would be allowed to collect personal items from the crash site and from local residents, Jean Fransman, a spokesperson for the Dutch Justice Ministry, was quoted as saying by CNN.

Access has been impossible since last month due to the fighting, despite a Sept 5 ceasefire.

The latest agreement was reached after talks by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Fransman said.

Flight MH17 was carrying 298 people en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam when it crashed in Ukraine on July 17, after apparently being shot down by a missile.

An international investigation is being led by Dutch authorities.

- dpa