The local department of an emergency ministry in eastern Ukraine said Sunday 196 bodies of the 298 passengers and crew on board the downed Malaysia Airlines flight have been recovered three days after the crash.

It was not immediately clear where the bodies are being stored.

However, Reuters news agency reported Sunday railway workers said bodies from the downed plane are in refrigerated wagons at a train station in the town of Torez, 15 kilometers from the site.

There has been international outrage and concern about the contamination of the crash site before investigators were allowed access, which continues to be limited by pro-Russian rebels in control of the area.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "very concerned" about reports that debris and bodies from the downed airliner have been taken from the crash site.

The State Department says Kerry spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by telephone Saturday. He reportedly told Lavrov he also is concerned that European monitors are not being given proper access to the crash site.

Additionally, Kerry again urged Russia to take immediate action to stop the flow of weapons and fighters to pro-Russian separatists in the east.

东乌克兰地方官员星期天说，他们在马航班机被击落三天后找到了196具尸体，机上共有298名乘客和机组人员。

目前还不清楚这些尸体被存放在哪里。不过路透社星期天报道说，有铁路工人说这些尸体被存放在距离失事地点15公里的托莱茨镇火车站的一个冷冻车里。

国际社会对当地在调查人员进入坠机现场之前就破坏现场表示愤怒和担心。控制着东乌克兰的亲俄分子继续限制调查人员进入坠机现场。

澳大利亚总理阿博特星期天说，坠机现场“绝对混乱”。 他在接受澳大利亚广播公司采访时说， 他担心破坏证据的活动还会继续，因为现场无人领导。

美国国务院发言人莎琪说，据报道尸体和残骸碎片被转移，现场无人看管，证据被破坏。她说，这对遇难者亲属的侮辱，也是对死者应有尊严的冒犯。

莎琪说，欧洲观察员星期六只在坠机现场停留不到3小时，星期五只有75分钟。

美国国务卿克里表示，美国对马航坠机的有关报道“非常关注”。有报道说，在东乌克兰上空被击落的马航坠机现场的遇难者尸体和飞机残骸被转移。

美国国务院说，克里国务卿星期六和俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫通了电话。克里告诉拉夫罗夫，他还对欧洲检查人员没能适当地进入坠机现场表示关注。

克里再次敦促俄罗斯立即停止向东部亲俄分离分子输送武器和战斗人员。