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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — More Chinese families of those aboard the still-missing flight MH370 are expected to fly in to Malaysia ahead of the one-year anniversary of the plane’s mysterious disappearance, amid continued demands for more transparency by the authorities.
One of the next-of-kin, 30-year-old Kelly, whose husband was on the Malaysia Airlines flight, said about five to six families will be coming to Kuala Lumpur on March 6, two days before the anniversary of the plane’s disappearance on March 8.
“A lot of Chinese families will come on March 6, maybe five or six,” Kelly said on the sidelines of a press conference organised by the Chinese nationals’ next-of-kin.
She added that the next-of-kin from Malaysia and from China will be meeting to discuss their next course of action before the ill-fated anniversary.
“There will be a gathering. I’m not sure when but for sure have [sic],” she said.
A group of 21 Chinese nationals gathered here today to express their anger at MAS’ response to a February 12 memorandum by the family members, who asked to be allowed to join the investigation while seeking answers and greater transparency as to the decision to classify the case as an accident.
“In this phase, on the top of the agenda the most important thing for Malaysia Airlines and relevant sectors to do is to decide how to proceed the ongoing research and investigation work, instead of discussing with us how to make it an end when our beloved families are still missing,” the group’s memorandum read.
In response, MAS reiterated that they will continue search efforts and that compensation is available to the next-of-kin, on top of the advanced compensation that is ready to be doled out.
Xu King Hong, whose mother was on board the aircraft, along with the other next-of-kin present insisted that the plane did not crash in the ocean, and demanded that the authorities continue search efforts.
“We think the plane can be found. They change the search area a few times but (we) don’t know why,” she said.
“They can’t stop it. We are worry [sic] about this year May they stop the search… what can I do, I don’t know. They don’t need to stop search,” she added, referring to when search efforts were temporarily halted last May due to adverse weather conditions.
The group again criticised the Malaysian government for doing a poor job of sharing information, stressing that they have yet to receive any conclusive answers in the 11 months since the plane’s disappearance.
“I need the Malaysian government to answer our question but nothing,” Xu said.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 last year, dropping off radar coverage not long after taking off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport en route to Beijing.
There were 239 passengers and crew on board the plane that remains missing till today, with no indication as to its resting place despite months of searching.
On January 29, Putrajaya declared Flight MH370 an air accident according to criteria set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and that all the people on board were presumed dead.
