LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH
“In 12 years, no one has ever apologised to us. I feel immense anger,” he said.
“This is an international case … but the first-instance judge treated it like nothing more than an ordinary local traffic accident, which is why the compensation amount ended up being so pitifully small.”
Experts have put forward several theories over the years to explain the mysterious disappearance, from pilot suicide or hijacking to missile fire or a technical malfunction.
According to one theory, a fire could have broken out in electronic components, which produced smoke that filled the plane and led to the passengers and crew falling unconscious.
The plane then continued on autopilot over the Indian Ocean, where search efforts have been focused, before running out of fuel and crashing, the theory goes.
“The main reason why some families are appealing is that the first-instance court did not clearly establish the facts of the case, nor did it criticise or correct Malaysia Airlines’ inaction” since 2014, said Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane.
The court had “merely ruled on the amount of compensation, which is not everything we, the families, are looking for”, he told AFP.
“What matters to us is the establishment of the facts. That’s our biggest demand.”
SEARCH EXTENDED
Nationals of 14 countries were on board the flight, including 50 passengers and crew members from Malaysia, where there were no pending cases against the airline.
Malaysia announced last month that the search for flight MH370 will be extended through June 2027, an operation led by private firm Ocean Infinity.
The most recent search took place in two stages, beginning in March 2025, but the firm returned empty-handed.
Jiang Hui said he was thankful to the Malaysian authorities for the extension, and asked that families be allowed to organise their own search missions.
“The plane isn’t going to rise to the surface all on its own,” he said.
“Only by searching would we be able to find it.”