Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo on Friday urged that "all light be shed on the specific circumstances" of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 air tragedy in Ukraine.

In a statement on Friday, the prime minister said that it was vital that any "perpetrators of the crime" are "swiftly identified and brought to justice."

The Belgian prime Minister said he was "shocked and horrified" by the air disaster that took place in eastern Ukraine on Thursday.

On behalf of the Belgian government, he sent condolences to the families and friends of the many victims of the Malaysia Airlines flight that crashed in eastern Ukraine on Thursday.

"In particular my thoughts are with the five Belgian victims, their friends and family," he said.

A Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines flight crashed Thursday in eastern Ukraine while on route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, with the deaths of 298 passengers and crew.

According to Belgian official figures, five of the victims have been identified as being from Belgium.