A message left on a board of remembrance by Kelly (last name not given), 29, the wife of a passenger aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, at a vigil ahead of the one-year anniversary of its disappearance in Kuala Lumpur, March 6, 2015. Malaysia (Photo : REUTERS/Olivia Harris )
The 18 months that had passed since Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanished has not dissipated the anger of relatives of Chinese passengers who likely perished while aboard the ill-fated jet on March 8, 2014. On Friday, amid confusion if the flaperon found on Reunion Island was a part of the missing aircraft, about 50 relatives of the travelers held a noisy rally near the Malaysian embassy in Beijing.
Reuters reports that there was a brief scuffle as police prevented the demonstrators from entering a road that leads to the embassy. The relatives wanted to have a meeting with Malaysian officials, but no one from the embassy came out.
Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said he understood the anger of the Chinese relatives because they are now anxious and are seeking answers.
While Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak had confirmed that the plane part came from the missing Boeing 777 jet with 239 people on board, the relatives appear not to believe him. Signs carried by the protesters include asking Malaysia to find their kin and accusations of Kuala Lumpur hiding the truth or delaying the search.
A woman sought "reliable, adequate and convincing argument" that would convince her because it is more than 500 days since the plane disappeared and there is no trace nor proof of the plane crashing, except for the flaperon's discovery.
While Malaysian officials insist that they have turned over a lot of aircraft debris such as window pane, cushion and aluminum materials, French officials have not reported the discovery of more plane parts on Reunion Island, reports CNN.
On Thursday, the French president and prime minister ordered stepped up search efforts by conducting, beginning on Friday, search flights over the waters near Reunion by military jets, helicopters and naval vessels. There would also be foot patrols.
