A Beijing court on Monday (Nov 27) began hearing compensation cases filed by the families of dozens of Chinese people who died on board a Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared almost 10 years ago.
The MH370 jet vanished on Mar 8, 2014, carrying 239 people – mostly from China – en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
More than 40 families have filed lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines, the aircraft manufacturer Boeing, engine maker Rolls Royce and Allianz insurance group, state broadcaster CCTV said.
The families’ litigation requests focus on compensation and finding the truth behind the flight’s disappearance, according to Zhang Qihuai, a lawyer quoted by CCTV.
It was unclear what jurisdiction the Chinese court has to enforce the claims for compensation against the defendants.
Malaysia’s transport ministry and Malaysia Airlines both declined to comment on the hearings.
Hardly any trace of the plane was found in a 120,000-square-kilometre Indian Ocean search zone, with only some pieces of debris picked up.
The Australian-led operation, the largest in aviation history, was suspended in January 2017.
Despite freezing temperatures in Beijing, several relatives of missing people, wrapped up in winter coats, were keen to talk to journalists. CCTV broadcaster added that the families of more than 110 other passengers have already reached a settlement with the defendants and received between 2.5 million and 3 million yuan.
AFP
