Families and friends await words from missing plane

Liu Hongwei is a good friend of Meng Gaosheng, one of the passengers.

"I was supposed to be on that plane," said Liu Hongwei. Meng Gaosheng, vice president of China Calligrapher Association,is a good friend of his.

Meng and 23 Chinese artists went to Malaysia for an exchange program. As the leader of the delegation, Meng invited Liu.

"But I was too busy with my work," Liu. "I really wanted to go. If Meng insisted I would be going with him."

Liu said he felt terrible about the tragedy. News about the missing jet shocked him and gave him a shiver.

"It could be me," he said.

Li Junfeng is worried about Liu Rusheng, an artist on the plane.

Li said if the plane crashed, he'd be losing a great friend and a business partner.

"I talked to Liu before he left to Malaysia about a cooperation," (Q: does he mean a cooperative project? It's just kind of strange seeing "a cooperation")said Li. "Now I can only hope for the best."

Lu Jiang prays his neighbor, who is on the plane together with her entire family.

"The whole family of my pretty and delightful neighbor was on that plane!" said Lu Jiang, 32-year-old Beijingresident. "I have seen her name and the name of her husband and her 1-year-old baby on the missing passenger's list. I never thought this would happen. God bless them!"

Lu told China Daily she and other people in her community are still holding onto their last hope, as deaths haven't been confirmed. "I saw her a couple of days ago at a neighbor's party. She smiled and was so happy," Lu said. "But now she and her whole family are on that plane."