The mystery surrounding the missing Malaysia Airlines plane
Lawsuit hearings against Malaysia Airlines begin in China
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TRAVEL Disaster
The 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is one of the most shocking air travel disasters in recent history. The plane was traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished from the radars over the Indian Ocean. No survivors or wreckage were ever found, and countless family members still have no closure almost a decade later.
On November 27, 2023, Chinese courts began hearings to determine what compensation the relatives of the victims are owed. “Almost 10 years on, the family members (who refused to accept settlement offers) did not receive any apology or a penny of compensation,” Jiang Hui, who lost his mother, told CNN. “The complete lack of legal remedies over the past decade has made our painful lives even more unbearable.” Jiang is suing Malaysia Airlines, its insurer, Boeing, and the manufacturer of the plane’s engine. His demands include financial compensation and a formal apology. He is also requesting that the companies resume providing psychological support for the families.
If the courts decide in favor of Jiang and the other relatives, it's unclear how China will enforce the ruling. Many of the companies involved are international and do not have headquarters in China. Similar lawsuits brought by family members in the United States were dismissed on the basis that the Malaysian legal system should handle these cases. Of the 200 people that disappeared, 150 of them were Chinese nationals.
To learn more about the circumstances surrounding one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history, click through the gallery.
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