Relatives of missing MH370 flight passengers confront defendants in court

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Three years after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) went missing, in a case that captivated and mystified people around the world, the first relatives of passengers on the flight confronted defendants in a Beijing courtroom.

The pretrial was kicked off at the Beijing Railway Transport Court on Monday, with family members expressing their dissatisfaction with the defendants "responsibility-shirking." It was the first of 36 such meetings in China.

Li Xiuzhi, the first plaintiff to confront the defendants during the pretrial, asked for 14 million yuan (2.1 million US dollars) in compensation for the loss of her only child, Lie Jie.

All five defendants – Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia Airlines Berhad, American aircraft manufacturer Boeing, British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and German insurance firm Allianz – denied any responsibility for the accident.

“I am furious. It’s been three years and they are still shirking responsibility,” Li told The Beijing News after the pretrial. “I want a fair explanation on behalf of my child.”

MH370 was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, when it deviated from its course as it passed over the South China Sea. Where it ended up remains a mystery, as does the fate of its 239 passengers, nearly two-thirds of them Chinese.

French gendarmes and police inspect a wing flap that washed ashore in Saint-Andre, Reunion Island, off the coast of Madagascar, on Thursday. France's BEA air crash investigation agency said it was examining the debris to determine whether it came from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. / Reuters Photo

More than 10 relatives of other passengers also attended the pretrial. They asked for 10 to 75 million yuan (1.5 to 11.3 million US dollars) in compensation from defendants.

“Compensation is not the most important issue for them. The current situation and the cause of the accident are their priorities,” said Zhang Qihuai, the lawyer for the families of 14 missing passengers.

According to Zhang, the pretrial ended 3.5 days earlier than the original plan because “the process of appeal explication and proof exchanges were completed in advance.” The trial might not be held before the Spring Festival next year.

Joao de Abreu, President of Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM), holds a piece of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast of Mozambique at Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) in Maputo on March 3, 2016. /AFP Photo

Courts in China would rule the case according to international convention if there is one suitable. “In this case, judges will make the decision based on Convention For The Unification Of Certain Rules For International Carriage By Air and Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation,” said Zhang.

However, it is hard to say how much pain can be healed by a verdict. Li was diagnosed with depression after the loss of her daughter. “I miss her every day and night. I can’t forget about it even for a single second. I used to be a physically and mentally healthy doctor with a daily routine, but now my life has been totally changed with my spirit being tortured all day long,” said the 67-year-old mother.