What Some Families Of Those Onboard Missing MH370 Are Saying Four Years After The Tragedy
Relatives remember their loved ones at the annual tribute in Kuala Lumpur.
By Katrina Khairul Azman — 09 Mar 2018, 08:09 PM
On 8 March 2014, Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 - with 239 passengers and crew onboard - vanished from the radar screen while on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing
The Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 in a photo taken at Los Angeles International Airport in 2013.
Image via Jonathan MorganThe disappearance of the Boeing 777 passenger jetliner is considered the world's greatest aviation mystery in history, with major search operations failing to locate the missing aircraft over the years.
Last Saturday, 3 March, some families of those onboard MH370 paid tribute to their lost loved ones at a remembrance event in Kuala Lumpur
Some families of the MH370 victims on stage during a multi-faith prayer session at the remembrance event at Publika.
Image via Free Malaysia TodayThe theme of the event, organised by Voice370 at The Square in Publika, was "it's not history, it's the future."
According to New Straits Times, the purpose of the event was to remind the world of the implications of flight safety and serve as some form of closure for the families of those on the aircraft.
The daughter of Mohd Hazrin Hasnan, a crew member onboard the flight, said that she looks at a photo of her father every day
Intern Maizura Othman (left) together with her children Iman Mohd Hazrin (right) and Muhammad Hazrin (middle) at The Square, Publika.
Image via Salhani Ibrahim / News Straits Times"I always look at papa's picture after school. I still miss papa," 9-year-old Iman admitted.
As for Mohd Hazrin's wife, Intan Maizura Othman said that she is still praying for an answer. "I will never give up. Life must go on and Alhamdulillah I am okay now and so are my children."
Jacquita Gonzales, wife of MH370 inflight supervisor Patrick Gomes, still holds onto hope
"It has been four years and I can't say we have moved on," she said.
Jacquita thanked the Malaysian government for allowing Ocean Infinity to continue the search for their loved ones, but added that "if we only get to see them in a different form so be it, I will accept that."
Grace Nathan, whose mother Anne Daisy was a passenger on the missing aircraft, hopes for safer skies so that history will not repeat itself
The Malaysian lawyer and Voice370 spokesperson explained, "The way I feel now, I do not want anyone to go through this. We have to prevent this from ever happening again."
"I truly believe it's not history, it's the future, and I want all of us to fly safe in the future."
Chinese National Jiang Hui, whose 75-year-old mother was also among the missing passengers, flew from Beijing to attend the event in Kuala Lumpur
"I miss and love her so much," said the 44-year-old who attended the ceremony to speak on behalf of the mourning families in China.
Jiang Hui added that he will not stop searching and thanked the Malaysian government for its efforts to search for the missing aircraft.
In contrast to the remembrance event hosted in Kuala Lumpur, some relatives of the missing Australian passengers onboard MH370 have criticised plans for a memorial to be held in Perth
According to the Australian government, a memorial to honour loved ones lost four years ago is currently in the works.
However, some family members of the missing passengers have condemned the idea of such an event as the plane has yet to be found.
Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was on the flight, said that the idea was "absolutely ridiculous"
Danica Weeks speaking at an event marking the third anniversary of the flight's disappearance in 2017.
Image via BBCAccording to BBC, she criticised the idea of a memorial as it represented Australian authorities "closing the chapter" on their search for the missing flight.
Danica added, "I hate to say it, but it's just obviously a tourist attraction."
"We haven't found the plane yet, so why are we having a memorial?"
Jeanette Maguire, whose sister and brother-in-law were also passengers, said she appreciated the gesture but that a memorial was ill-advised
After losing sister Cathy Lawton and brother-in-law Bob Lawton when the plane disappeared, Jeanette explained that, "We want you to spend the time and effort on actually finding them."
"There's no point in having a memorial when we can't get past 'where are they?'", she said, according to BBC.
In a Facebook post on 8 March, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak ensured the public that the search for the missing Boeing 777 aircraft continues
According to Channel News Asia, only three confirmed fragments of MH370 have been found on the western Indian Ocean shores so far, including a two-metre flaperon.
However, the search, which is conducted by Ocean's Infinity's Seabed Conductor, is expected to end by mid-June
Malaysia agreed in January to pay the US firm up to $70 million (RM 273 million) if it found the plane during an offshore search effort that is underway and expected to end in June.
Malaysian investigators said in their annual interim statement last Tuesday that the search vessel has completed the first part of its search, covering 8,200 sq km, and has now moved into a new area.
“If the aircraft is not found and a decision is made to discontinue the search, the team will resume the completion of the report and release it in the months ahead,” read the statement, according to Channel News Asia.