VANCOUVER, March 14 — Canadians interviewed have expressed empathy with Malaysians over the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft that also had two Canadians on board.

Nick Stoss, a former director of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada Air Investigation Branch, said he empathised with Malaysians for the massive media criticism that he felt could hinder focus and attention on the investigation into the missing jetliner.

Stoss has over three decades of experience in flight safety and accident investigation. He was also a pilot who was among the Canadian delegates involved

in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) development of the international investigation standards and recommended practices.

The MAS flight, MH370, disappeared early Saturday while flying 239 passengers and crew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. It has not been found since despite a massive multinational search in the waters of the South China Sea and the Strait of Melaka and, more recently, the Indian Ocean. 

On the streets of Vancouver, people who have not heard of Malaysia before were now well aware of the nation’s plight and were following the developments to the letter.

They were offering prayers in their way of assisting with the search by transmitting positive energy. At the mention of Malaysia to some people in the streets of Vancouver, a few of the responses Bernama received were:

“Our prayers are with them.”

“Oh yes! Have they found the jetliner yet?”

“Last I read, it was still missing ....”

“When was the latest?”

“How can a jetliner with so many passengers just vanish?”

“It’s impossible”.

“Yes, Malaysia, it’s where the plane went missing.”

“Oh! Please find them soon.”

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper had tweeted: “Our thoughts and deepest prayers are with those affected by the disappearance of the plane in Malaysia.” 

Canadians Mukesh Mukherjee, 42, and his wife, Xiaomo Bai, 37, were listed as passengers on board the missing flight, MH370.

Mukherjee’s Facebook profile states that he is vice president of China operations for Xcoal Energy and Resources which has its main office in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, United States.

Mukherjee was travelling with his wife and, from some photographs in Xiaomo’s Facebook page, they were on vacation in Vietnam just before the trip to Beijing.  — Bernama