KUALA LUMPUR – Some 40 families are getting their day in court as the hearing on compensation claims for families of MH370 passengers starts today – nearly 10 years after the tragic and mysterious disappearance of the plane on March 8, 2014.
The hearing at the Chaoyang District People’s Court, which is expected to last until December 5, will see the families suing Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, Allianz and Rolls-Royce, with varying claims.
Most of the claims were filed more than seven years ago.
One of the family members, Jiang Hui, told CNN that the companies should be held responsible under Chinese law for damage occurred during transportation.
Apart from compensation, he is demanding a formal apology, the resumption of psychological assistance to family members, and for a fund to be set up to continue the search for the plane.
Jiang’s mother, 70-year-old Jiang Cuiyun, was on a holiday in Malaysia.
The families involved in the suit are those who did not sign the settlement agreement as they claimed it absolved the airline and the Malaysian government of responsibilities.
“On our long journey seeking the truth, many families fell into a tough livelihood or even survival situation. They settled as a last resort to ensure their lives.
“But no matter having settled or not, our ultimate goal remains the same – which is to find the plane and our loved ones,” he was quoted as saying.
The Chinese families who opted to settle with Malaysian Airlines received 2.5 million yuan (approximately RM1.64 million in today’s conversion rate) in compensation.
Some of the families also claimed that the aviation disaster plunged them into financial and emotional distress for nearly 10 years.
Of the 239 passengers, 153 were Chinese nationals who were on their way to Beijing when the plane deviated from its flight path and disappeared over the Indian Ocean.
However, it is unclear what powers the Beijing court has on the companies even though Malaysia Airlines, Boeing and Roll-Royce have offices in China.
Previously, US courts dismissed similar cases brought by some of the families – saying it should be dealt with in Malaysia.
In 2018, Malaysian authorities concluded that the investigation team was “unable to determine the real cause of the disappearance of MH370” and that “human interference was more likely the cause of the plane’s disappearance than plane malfunction”.
Over the years, pieces of apparent debris were found on the shores of some islands in the southern Indian Ocean and off the coast of Africa. – November 27, 2023