Shocked MH370 Families: No Proof? No Death Certificates!

In a united front, family members of MH370 passengers lost on the missing Malaysian Airlines’ Boeing 777 attacked the Malaysian government in an emailed letter Sunday sent to media, expressing “utter outrage, despair and shock” and advising that they are organizing to become “noisier and noisier.” They are rejecting death certificates the Malaysian government says it is preparing  and demanding new people investigate the crime, instead of the officials’ failed search and rescue mission.

Sarah Bajc, girlfriend of Phillip Wood, one of 239 missing persons who boarded MH370, sent the email to media on behalf of “the united families of MH370” listing their frustrations and complaints related to the way the tragedy has been handled. 

“As a group of family members, we are gaining strength,” Bajc said on TODAY. “We want them to know we are not going to go away. Until they agree to pursue this more independently in a way that we can feel confident in, we are going to get noisier and noisier.”

The letter slams the government for stating it is preparing to issue death certificates and to provide monetary compensation before there is any evidence.

“We all want to go back to square one. It’s day 45. We are basically at the same position we were on on the first day,” Sarah Bajc, the girlfriend of MH370 passenger Phillip Wood said. “We don’t know anything for sure.”

Aside from those espousing a theory that the U.S. shot down the Boeing, independent experts have repeatedly said it was impossible for the plane to “disappear and crash,” as officials have claimed. Furthermore, in most common law jurisdictions, a missing person can be declared dead in absentia (or “legally dead”) after seven years. “This time frame may be reduced in certain cases, such as deaths in major battles or mass disasters such as the September 11, 2001 attacks.” (Wikipedia)

“We want to go back and start over again, but with new people looking at the information.”

Among a list of criticisms are failure to provide meaningful updates for family members and failure to provide experts who could answer technical questions about the search and rescue mission. The letter criticizes the Malaysian government for failing to obtain independent review of data they have found, and failing to notify family members of any new information before releasing it to the public. 

“We want to come back to taking this investigation away from the Malaysian government. We believe it’s been mishandled,” Bajc said on TODAY. 

239 Missing Persons

MH370 vanished 46 days ago, meaning passengers’ families can now file suit in U.S. courts against Boeing. The problem is that no wreckage or any other evidence has been found indicating the hijack resulted in there being no survivors. At least one U.S.-based case against Malaysia Airlines and Boeing is already in progress.

Last month, aviation attorney Monica Kelly filed a request for documents and other information in an Illinois court. She represents Januari Siregar, the mother of a young man aboard Flight 370. 

Aviation attorney Daniel Rose, a partner at Kreindler & Kreindler law firm said, “If we don’t have the black box with all the critical information on it, or we don’t have any part of the wreckage, it would be very hard to maintain a claim against Boeing in any court in the United States.” 

Under international law, however, families can sue in the country where the passengers bought the ticket, where the airline is based or their final destination. 

“It’s kind of like a murder case with no body,” CNN reports, a perfect crime. Family members say it’s kind of like an outrageous cover up, one they are not going to accept.

Many of the families say their loved ones are missing persons and the case needs to be investigated as such.

Bajc said the Malaysian government has two obligations.

“Until they have proof, they have an obligation to make regular pre-payments to the families in need, and they have an obligation to exert themselves beyond dozing and snickering in resolving this case,” the note says.

The letter concludes: “WE ARE IN UTTER OUTRAGE, DESPAIR AND SHOCK!”

Monday, the relatives wept, begged and cursed a Malaysian diplomat in China’s capital where a meeting at a hotel was to be held. They expected a long-awaited briefing from Malaysian technical experts.

The gathering erupted in anger when the diplomat announced there would not be a n’t be one.

“We don’t know at this point whether they are alive or dead,” a father of a missing passenger cried. “And you haven’t given us any direct proof of where they actually are. We want our loved ones back.“