Families of MH370 victims in China seek end to decade of torment

BEIJING - Relatives of Chinese passengers lost on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 gathered in Beijing on March 8, seeking answers from the authorities 11 years after the plane disappeared in one of aviation’s greatest enduring mysteries.

The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese, while the others were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and elsewhere.

Despite the largest search in aviation history, the plane has never been found.

But Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke in February announced that maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity had resumed the hunt for the missing plane.

Family members said they had been in the dark about the new search.

“It was promised that we would be informed immediately (but) we can only find out about this kind of news online,” 68-year-old Li Eryou told AFP before meeting representatives from China’s transport and foreign ministries.

“Many families don’t even know how to access this information, so they are completely unaware,” said Mr Li, who lost his 29-year-old son on the plane.

“We all feel extremely angry and frustrated,” Mr Li said.

Mr Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane, said that he was still in the dark about the new search.

“When will it start? Where will the search take place? How long will it last? What discoveries have been made? What theories led to the decision to restart the search?” Mr Jiang told reporters.

He hoped the search will “bring an end to the 11 years of suffering”.

“Trapped in pain”

The grieving families also gathered on March 8 at an intersection in front of the Malaysian embassy in Beijing, the road to which was sealed off by at least 20 police officers.

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