Too early to tell fate of aircraft despite debris find: ATSB
Relatives of Chinese passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 remained suspicious and demanded an explanation from Malaysian officials after the country announced Thursday that debris found on a remote island was from the airplane.
Anguished family members gathered at the office of Malaysia Airlines in Beijing on Thursday, requesting Malaysian officials to attend a meeting scheduled to be held in Beijing on Friday and provide them with more details about this identification.
"We highly doubt whether the debris is from MH370 because the whole process was not open to the public. We want more proof," an MH370 passenger's relative surnamed Zhang told the Global Times Thursday.
Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak earlier on Thursday announced that a team of international experts in Toulouse had "conclusively confirmed" that the aircraft debris was from MH370.
French prosecutors used more cautious language, saying only there was a "very high probability" the wreckage came from the ill-fated plane, and that more tests were needed before making a definitive conclusion.
The jet disappeared on March 8 last year, inexplicably veering off course en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Among the 227 passengers, 154 are Chinese.
Prior to the latest discovery, a massive surface and underwater hunt had failed to find the plane in what had become one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history, sparking a colossal hunt in the Indian Ocean based on satellite data which hinted at MH370's possible path.
MH370 debris confirmed
The two-meter-long chunk of wreckage was found on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion last week and examined by a team of experts Wednesday in France.
"I hope that this confirmation, however tragic and painful, will at least bring certainty to the families and loved ones of the 239 people on board MH370," said Najib. "They have our deepest sympathy and prayers."
Malaysia Airlines hailed the news as a "major breakthrough."
Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) that has led the multinational search, said he was now "confident that we're looking in the right area and we'll find the aircraft there."
But he told ABC radio it was "too early to tell" what exactly happened to the aircraft and that close examination of the flaperon was necessary.
China on Thursday asked Malaysia to continue investigating the cause of the MH370 accident. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement that the Chinese government expresses grief and sorrow for those on board, and extends profound sympathies and condolences to their families.
The Chinese government requests the Malaysian side to act on its commitment, continue the investigation into the cause of the accident, provide the families with the necessary help and uphold their lawful rights and interests, she said.
'It is another lie'
Many relatives accuse Najib's government and the airline of a bungled response to the disaster, possible cover-up, and insensitive treatment of families, charges that have been vehemently denied.
Family members remain skeptical, with some requesting to know if the plane was hijacked or for other reasons.
"They have been lying to us from the beginning, maybe it is another lie," said Zhang.
The families have consistently expressed their belief that their loved ones are alive.
"We want to know the truth, the truth about what on earth happened to our families. Even though the wreckage is from MH370, they should not stop searching for our families," another relative surnamed Wen, whose son was on the jet, told the Global Times.
Some families vowed to go to the island to see for themselves.
The airline had offered initial compensation of $50,000 for each passenger, but many relatives said that they refused to take the money. One Chinese passenger's family has received the money, while the relatives of about 40 other passengers have also accepted the offer and are waiting for identification procedures, a CCTV report in June quoted Malaysian authorities as saying.
Further compensation procedures have not started yet.
It is hoped that more detailed examination in the coming days may indicate how the piece detached from the wing, possibly yielding clues in the mystery, or whether it showed traces of an explosion or fire.
Scientists have also said barnacles on the flaperon could indicate how long it was in the water, and perhaps where it had been.
