Sky News reporter Colin Brazier brazenly and shockingly rifles through luggage of dead passengers of Ukraine's Malaysia airlines disaster.

Sky News's (DStv 402) correspondent Colin Brazier shockingly and brazenly started rifling through the luggage and possessions of dead passengers of the Malaysia airlines Flight MN17 disaster in the Ukraine, picking items from a suitcase on the air on Sunday afternoon to show to viewers.

Colin Brazier, reporting live from Gravobo on Sky News in eastern Ukraine, started picking up items like a child's drinking bottle and keys from dead passengers' bags, saying "we shouldn't really be doing this, I suppose".

In a statement Sky News says "Whilst presenting from the site of the MH17 air crash Colin Brazier reflected on the human tragedy of the event and showed audiences the content of one of the victims' bags".

"Colin Brazier immediately recognised that this was inappropriate and said so on air. Both Colin Brazier and Sky News apologise profusely for any offence caused".

Sky News was met with an avalanche of criticism, calling the 24-hour TV news channel's coverage and Colin Brazier's shocking actions at at airplane crash site in which 298 people died "appalling", "disrespectful" and "a horrible moment for journalism" .