#MH17: Confusion at KLIA as MH17 families demand crash details

Posted by GH at 18:00

Add capFamily members enquire about the flight name list following the tragic news of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, July 18, 2014. — Picture by Choo Choi May

SEPANG, July 18 — Families of those aboard Flight MH17, which is believed to have crashed in Ukraine, have begun streaming into the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and are demanding that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) quickly release information on the ill-fated jetliner.

But as details on how the plane had gone down are still sketchy, they were met with more uncertainty and confusion.

At least six families have arrived at the Anjung Tinjau viewing area in KLIA upon hearing about the plane crash via social media.

“Reason comes later, please tell us who is on that plane and if they survived, first ,” said a family friend of a passenger traveling back with her Dutch partner from Amsterdam.

The airport security has declined the families here entry into Anjung Tinjau as the flight manifest has not been issued.

“My wife and my two-year-old are traveling back from Amsterdam and that’s their flight,” another man of Indian descent, who requested anonymity.

“You call this an international airport? Even Facebook is more efficient than MAS. We have been waiting here since 12.30am,” said a brother of a passenger on the aircraft, who also declined to offer his name.

Police personnel guarding the area then had to call for calm as the more of the families began demanding for the flight manifest.

“Please calm down. We understand how you feel but the boss is on the way,” said a policeman to the incensed families.

When they were told that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is currently being briefed on the incident and will possibly make the announcement, the family friend of a passenger shot back:”What is the prime minister going to do? Fly there and call for world peace?

”MAS is becoming a laughing stock... it’s been four hours,” retorted the brother of another passenger, before he was ushered away from the media.

The airport security has declined the families here entry into Anjung Tinjau as the flight manifest has not been issued.

“My wife and my two-year-old are traveling back from Amsterdam and that’s their flight,” said another man of Indian descent, who requested anonymity.

MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian militants yesterday, killing all 295 people aboard, a Ukrainian interior ministry official said.

MAS said air traffic controllers lost contact with MH17 as it flew over eastern Ukraine towards the Russian border, bound for Asia with 280 passengers and 15 crew aboard.

Flight tracking data indicated it was at its cruising altitude of 10 km when it disappeared.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/confusion-at-klia-as-mh17-families-demand-crash-details#sthash.hlKINM1M.dpuf