China goes all-out to search for missing flight

(Xinhua) Updated: 2014-03-11 02:09

Vietnam Air Force Col. Le Huu Hanh of Division 918 is reflected on the navigation control panel onboard a flying Soviet-made AN-26 during a search operation for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 Monday, March 10, 2014. [Photo/icpress.cn]

ANXIOUS RELATIVES

Special: Malaysia Airlines plane missing

Aviation experts air their opinions

Chinese vessels search for missing flight

After waiting for three days in Hotel of Lido in Beijing, relatives of the passengers on broad the missing flight want nothing but more information about their missing family members.

Beijing has launched emergency rescue services, as well as a "green channel" for passport applications, said Liu Zhi, deputy secretary general of Beijing municipal government at a press conference.

However less and less relatives of the passengers are willing to travel to Malaysia for no purpose.

"What can we do there when they don't even know the location of the plane," said a relative, who decided to stay with his family in Beijing.

A middle-aged woman whose daughter was on the missing flight, believes her kid is fine.

"Her company asked me about compensation, but I don't want to think about it right now," said the mother, "It's too earlier to jump to any conclusion."

The Municipal government will also provide legal aid and psychological counselling for the relatives of the passengers.

The government has also ensured their accommodation and other services, he said.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, five reception sites have received a total of 357 relatives of passengers onboard the missing flight.

As of 7 p.m. Monday, the Civil Aviation Administration of China(CAAC) has not yet received any application from Malaysia Airlines for the chartered airplane for passengers' relatives, according to the CAAC.

As soon as they receive an application, the CAAC will offer convenience, said the CAAC.

On Monday night, Malaysian Airlines said they will offer a "special consolation payment" of 31,000 yuan (5049.9 U.S. dollars) for each family of the passengers on broad the missing flight. Family members of the passengers are expected to receive the money on Tuesday afternoon.

Contact with the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was lost along with its radar signal at 1:20 a.m. Beijing time on Saturday as it was flying over the Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control area in Vietnam.

The flight was carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers, including 154 Chinese.