Hagel calls Malaysian Defence Minister on plane

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday called his Malaysian counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein to discuss the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines plane over eastern Ukraine that killed all 298 people on board. Hagel, the Pentagon said, reiterated the pledge of US President Barack Obama to provide support to the investigation into the tragic incident. ‘The two leaders discussed the security situation in Ukraine and the importance of making sure investigators have unimpeded and secure access to the crash site,’ the Pentagon said in a readout of the call.