For almost 10 years, Jiang Hui has been looking for answers to find out what happened to the plane that his 70-year-old mother was on when she was coming back from vacation in Malaysia.
Jiang’s mom was on a plane that went off course and disappeared in the ocean in 2014.
Until now, we still don’t know what happened to MH370, and Jiang is still trying to find out the truth.
Jiang, who is 50 years old, told CNN in an interview that almost 10 years have passed and the family members who didn’t accept settlement offers still haven’t gotten an apology or any money. The lawsuits were filed more than seven years ago and the hearings are now taking place at the Chaoyang District People’s Court in Beijing.
Right now, I’m feeling very mixed up. “I feel both relieved and very powerless. ”
Jiang is taking Malaysia Airlines, its insurance company, Boeing, and the company that made the plane’s engine to court. He thinks these companies should be held accountable for the damage that happened during transportation according to Chinese law. He wants money, an official sorry, more help for his family’s mental health, and a fund to keep looking for the plane.
Around 40 Chinese families are suing these companies and their cases have some similarities. The court hearings are expected to continue until December 5th. This was said by Jiang. He said his own situation will be listened to on Friday.
Out of more than 200 people on the plane, 153 were from China.
Jiang said not having any legal help for ten years has made our lives even more painful.
Boeing told CNN that they are thinking about the people on MH370 and their families during the court hearings.
CNN has asked Malaysia Airlines, Allianz, and Rolls-Royce for their thoughts on the situation.
We don’t know how much control the Chinese court has over the defendants if it decides that Jiang and the other people suing are right. All of the companies are from other countries and have their main offices located outside of China. However, Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, and Rolls-Royce also have offices in China.
Lawsuits brought by victims’ families in the United States have been dismissed because the courts believe they should be handled in Malaysia.
In Malaysia, two young boys whose dad died in a plane crash took Malaysia Airlines and the Malaysian government to court in 2014. They said the airline broke its promises and that the government didn’t do enough to keep them safe. The case was resolved without going to court the following year.
As of March 2021, around 90 families had not settled yet, but the number became half after the Covid-19 pandemic, said Jiang.
Now, there are only around 40 families who still haven’t agreed to settle. Jiang said they didn’t want to sign the agreement because it let the airline and the Malaysian government off the hook for any responsibility.
The Chinese economy suffered a lot for three years because of Covid lockdowns and strict rules. Many families had a hard time making enough money to live.
“They decided to settle as a final option to protect their lives,” Jiang said. “But whether we’re settled or not, our main goal is still to find the plane and our loved ones. ”
In 2018, a report from Malaysia said they couldn’t figure out what really happened to the plane MH370. They think it’s more likely that someone did something wrong with the plane, rather than the plane itself having a problem.
There is no solid proof about what happened to the flight, so there are many ideas about it. Some family members still think their loved ones are alive.
The airplane could not be found, but some parts of it have been found on islands in the southern Indian Ocean and the shores of Africa. This shows that the plane may have broken into pieces.
“I’m old enough to take care of my mother, but she’s not here for me to do that. ” So, the only way I can be a good son to her is by finding her,” he said.
Before the MH370 tragedy, Jiang worked as a manager at a state-owned communications company in Beijing.
Over the years, he has gone to different places like Australia and islands in the Indian Ocean to look for debris from the Boeing jetliner.
“He said that he used to focus only on his job, but now he understands the true importance of life and what is most valuable. ”
“If I can help find MH370 or do my best until the end, I would be very happy and satisfied. This happiness is much more valuable than earning a lot of money. “