Chinese relatives protest in Malaysia over MH370

Relatives of Chinese passengers from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 protest outside the Malaysia Airlines office in Subang. About 15 people gathered outside the gates wearing white caps and red t-shirts with words: "Pray for MH370." (Photo: AFP/MANAN VATSYAYANA)

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese relatives of those on board missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 protested outside the carrier's office on Thursday (Feb 12) demanding Malaysia withdraw a statement declaring all the passengers dead.

The Malaysian government last month officially listed the disappearance of Malaysian Airline flight MH370 as an accident and said all 239 people on board had perished in a move it said would pave the way for compensation claims. However, the announcement immediately sparked outrage among distraught family members who have shunned offers of compensation.

About 15 people gathered outside the airline's gates under a hot sun on Thursday wearing white caps and red T-shirts bearing the words: "Pray for MH370." They held placards in English reading: "Who can tell us what happened", "Come back MH370" and "Today it is us, Tomorrow it could be you." They said they wanted to meet Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhhari Yahya.

"My husband was on the flight. We want the Malaysia government to cancel the declaration that they made," Kelly Wen, wife of Chinese passenger who was only identified as Li, told AFP. Malaysia Airlines officials later transported the protesters to the nearby Subang Airport but it remained unclear whether they would get to meet any airline officials there.

Anguished Chinese relatives of those on board missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: @melgoh on Twitter)

More Chinese families of MH370 victims are expected to arrive this week in Malaysia ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Many families are angry that the authorities decided on the fate of their family members without consulting them, some still clinging to the hope that their loved ones may still be alive.

They have previously also accused the authorities of failing to keep them updated on the search for the aircraft. MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014 after inexplicably diverting from its Kuala Lumpur-Beijing course.

The airliner is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean off western Australia but no trace has been found. Chinese passengers accounted for about two-thirds of the 239 people who were aboard the Boeing 777. Australia has been spearheading the hunt for the plane.

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