Missing Malaysia Airlines MH370: Chinese families insist plane did not crash

After two years, and the formal identification of a flaperon from missing Malaysia Airlines MH370, the families of Chinese passengers on board the aircraft insist that the plane did not crash. "We all hope to be reunited," MH370 China Families told IBTimes UK.

A spokesperson for the families said that although Chinese family members are convinced that MH370 did not crash, this was not the same for families from other countries. "Many outside China have been swayed by the misinformation of the Malaysian authorities into believing that MH370 must have crashed."

In an email, the group, which comprises over 300 members, told IBTimes UK: "We have access to an independent analysis which points out the flaws in the Inmarsat -Malaysia analysis. This analysis shows that MH370 need not have crashed."

The group laments "it is difficult to have any formal group" in China. Contact among family members are made through small groups and "we maintain contact informally." However many of them did make an effort to meet at the Lama Temple on the second anniversary of the plane's disappearance on 8 March 2016.

"We also keep in contact via WeChat social media in a group of over 300 members," one of them told IBTimes UK. The spokesperson however noted that within this group, "we are identified by aliases, as it is better not to be identified personally."

A small group does visit the Malaysia Airlines office in Beijing but "they give us nothing," The spokesperson has a brother and another relative on board the missing plane.

MH370 China Families strongly believe that the analysis of the Inmarsat satellite's ping data was faulty. They claim that the published data and analysis was modified so that they supported the Malaysian government's theory. They insist that the results of the analysis by the authorities could not be reliably used to search for the Boeing 777.

MH370 departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport on 8 March 2014 with 227 passengers and 12 crew members. Neither plane nor its passengers have been found despite extensive undersea search operations in the Indian Ocean.

So far only a flaperon found on Reunion Island last year has been positively identified as belonging to the Boeing 777. Other pieces, believed to be parts of an aircraft, have also been found in the surrounding area and are awaiting identification.

The plane carried people from 14 nations, of which 153 were Chinese nationals, 38 Malaysians, seven Indonesians, six Australians, five Indians, four French, three Americans, two Canadians, two New Zealanders, two Ukrainians and one each from the Netherlands, Russia and Taiwan. Two passengers carrying fake passports were also on board the plane.