Beijing court begins compensation hearings for MH370 crash victims
BEIJING—A Beijing court on Monday began hearing compensation cases filed by the families of dozens of Chinese people who died on board a Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared almost 10 years ago.
The MH370 jet vanished on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people -- mostly from China -- en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
More than 40 families have filed lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines, the aircraft manufacturer Boeing, engine maker Rolls Royce and Allianz insurance group, state broadcaster CCTV said.
The families’ litigation requests focus on compensation and finding the truth behind the flight’s disappearance, according to Zhang Qihuai, a lawyer quoted by CCTV.
It was unclear what jurisdiction the Chinese court has to enforce the claims for compensation against the defendants.
Malaysia’s transport ministry and Malaysia Airlines both declined to comment on the hearings.
Hardly any trace of the plane was found in a 120,000-square kilometer Indian Ocean search zone, with only some pieces of debris picked up.
The Australian-led operation, the largest in aviation history, was suspended in January 2017.
Despite freezing temperatures in Beijing, several relatives of missing people, wrapped up in winter coats, were keen to talk to journalists.
Jiang Hui, whose mother was on flight MH370, said Monday the opening of the hearing was “very comforting, and it is a turning point”.
“The survival of the relatives during these ten years, the deterioration of their living conditions... This really makes us very sad. So I hope that the legal relief can be realized as soon as possible. It is not difficult,” he said.