The confrontation at the Lido Hotel came as the search for the missing jet entered its third week, with many clinging to the hope that family members might still be alive and alleging Malaysian involvement in a cover-up.
A total of 153 Chinese were on board the Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 that disappeared from civilian radar screens on March 8, nearly an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur. The plane was carrying 239 passengers and crew.
"The Malaysian government is deceiving us. They don't dare to face us. The Malaysian government are the biggest murderers," a relative in the audience shouted, even though there is no evidence to suggest a government conspiracy.
As anger in the hall mounted, some relatives rushed towards the Malaysian officials but police intervened and the officials left the room.
"We can't bear it any longer," one woman said. "They're offering us compensation, but we've lost our entire families. This is China. They can't just tell us to come or go as they please. We're going to wait here. If they don't come, we're not leaving."
Yesterday, a first meeting was organised between the passengers' families and Malaysian government officials. That meeting also resulted in heated exchanges, boos and eruptions of anger.
Six planes, including four Orion anti-submarine aircraft packed with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, joined the search for debris from the aircraft over a remote stretch of the Indian Ocean, 2,500 kilometres (1,500 miles) southwest of Perth today.
China today said one of its satellites had spotted a 22 metre by 13 metre object in the Indian Ocean about 120 kilometres from two objects spotted on satellite images released earlier by Australia.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
