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In the Details of Passengers’ Lives, Signs of Hope and Prosperity In the Details of Passengers’ Lives, Signs of Hope and Prosperity
(6 months later)
BEIJING — It was one of his first trips abroad, maybe even the first. Wang Moheng was just shy of his second birthday. His parents took him and two of his grandparents to the tropics of Malaysia, with its sunshine and moist air and blue skies. BEIJING — It was one of his first trips abroad, maybe even the first. Wang Moheng was just shy of his second birthday. His parents took him and two of his grandparents to the tropics of Malaysia, with its sunshine and moist air and blue skies.
“They said to other parents at our day care center, ‘We’re getting away from the bad air in Beijing for a while,’ ” said Xie Yongzhen, whose son has been a playmate of Moheng’s.“They said to other parents at our day care center, ‘We’re getting away from the bad air in Beijing for a while,’ ” said Xie Yongzhen, whose son has been a playmate of Moheng’s.
Other families from the center had joined them on vacation, she said, but returned on different flights. They bid farewell to Moheng’s family in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, with the words, “See you in smoggy Beijing.”Other families from the center had joined them on vacation, she said, but returned on different flights. They bid farewell to Moheng’s family in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, with the words, “See you in smoggy Beijing.”
The family of five was among 239 passengers and crew members to have vanished with Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which left Kuala Lumpur early Saturday for Beijing but never arrived. People from at least 13 countries were aboard the Boeing 777-200 jet, with the 153 Chinese passengers by far the most numerous. Of those from China, Moheng was the youngest.The family of five was among 239 passengers and crew members to have vanished with Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which left Kuala Lumpur early Saturday for Beijing but never arrived. People from at least 13 countries were aboard the Boeing 777-200 jet, with the 153 Chinese passengers by far the most numerous. Of those from China, Moheng was the youngest.
The passengers bound for China represented a vivid cross-section of a nation in its fourth decade of a dizzying economic transformation: artists and corporate salespeople, foreign businesspeople and employees of technology firms. Many, like the Wang family, had been on holiday savoring the turquoise waters and white-sand beaches of Southeast Asia, a popular destination for Chinese.The passengers bound for China represented a vivid cross-section of a nation in its fourth decade of a dizzying economic transformation: artists and corporate salespeople, foreign businesspeople and employees of technology firms. Many, like the Wang family, had been on holiday savoring the turquoise waters and white-sand beaches of Southeast Asia, a popular destination for Chinese.
There was a Canadian couple living in Beijing, the wife originally from China, returning from a vacation in Vietnam they had taken without their two young sons, who were being watched by a grandmother at home. The plane also carried a few large groups, including more than 20 painters and calligraphers who had been honored at an exhibition in Malaysia, and Chinese employees of an American semiconductor company traveling to China with Malaysian colleagues for a work meeting.There was a Canadian couple living in Beijing, the wife originally from China, returning from a vacation in Vietnam they had taken without their two young sons, who were being watched by a grandmother at home. The plane also carried a few large groups, including more than 20 painters and calligraphers who had been honored at an exhibition in Malaysia, and Chinese employees of an American semiconductor company traveling to China with Malaysian colleagues for a work meeting.
There were transients, people intending to just pass through Beijing. One was Paul Weeks, 39, a New Zealand engineer living in Perth, Australia, with his wife and two sons, one born just last year. He had been en route to Mongolia for an assignment with a mining and construction company.There were transients, people intending to just pass through Beijing. One was Paul Weeks, 39, a New Zealand engineer living in Perth, Australia, with his wife and two sons, one born just last year. He had been en route to Mongolia for an assignment with a mining and construction company.
“I’m taking it minute by minute,” his wife, Danica Weeks, told reporters in Perth. “I can’t think beyond the minute. I’ve got two young kids, and I have a 3-year-old asking, ‘When is Daddy going to Skype?’ ”“I’m taking it minute by minute,” his wife, Danica Weeks, told reporters in Perth. “I can’t think beyond the minute. I’ve got two young kids, and I have a 3-year-old asking, ‘When is Daddy going to Skype?’ ”
Relatives and friends of many of the Chinese passengers waited all of Sunday in a hotel ballroom in Beijing. Over and over, they asked Malaysia Airlines employees what had happened to their loved ones, only to get the same answer: No one knows.Relatives and friends of many of the Chinese passengers waited all of Sunday in a hotel ballroom in Beijing. Over and over, they asked Malaysia Airlines employees what had happened to their loved ones, only to get the same answer: No one knows.
A manager at Malaysia Airlines, Ignatius Ong, told reporters that 93 airline employees had arrived in Beijing to give assistance to the families. He said the airline would soon fly some of the family members to Malaysia. Many of the relatives had no passports, and by Sunday evening, they were filling out passport applications.A manager at Malaysia Airlines, Ignatius Ong, told reporters that 93 airline employees had arrived in Beijing to give assistance to the families. He said the airline would soon fly some of the family members to Malaysia. Many of the relatives had no passports, and by Sunday evening, they were filling out passport applications.
The frustration built. One man in the hotel showed a petition with more than 100 signatures to reporters, saying they were from relatives and friends who demanded more information. “We have been pushed to the point of helplessness by Malaysia Airlines,” he said.The frustration built. One man in the hotel showed a petition with more than 100 signatures to reporters, saying they were from relatives and friends who demanded more information. “We have been pushed to the point of helplessness by Malaysia Airlines,” he said.
People dealt with their anxiety in different ways. Ms. Xie, who knew young Moheng from the day care, said she was going to the Lama Temple in the city center to burn incense sticks and pray for him and his family. “Everyone is in deep shock and praying for a miracle,” she said.People dealt with their anxiety in different ways. Ms. Xie, who knew young Moheng from the day care, said she was going to the Lama Temple in the city center to burn incense sticks and pray for him and his family. “Everyone is in deep shock and praying for a miracle,” she said.
Moheng’s family was among the growing number of Chinese who are cosmopolitan in experience and outlook, and who can indulge in the occasional exotic vacation. Wang Rui, the toddler’s father, worked in the Beijing office of Boston Consulting Group, an American company, and went by Rory. He was a graduate of the accounting program at Tsinghua University in Beijing and of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The boy’s mother, Jiao Weiwei, worked at a Chinese software company. Her parents were also on the plane.Moheng’s family was among the growing number of Chinese who are cosmopolitan in experience and outlook, and who can indulge in the occasional exotic vacation. Wang Rui, the toddler’s father, worked in the Beijing office of Boston Consulting Group, an American company, and went by Rory. He was a graduate of the accounting program at Tsinghua University in Beijing and of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The boy’s mother, Jiao Weiwei, worked at a Chinese software company. Her parents were also on the plane.
“I really can’t believe this,” one of the family’s neighbors, Hao Jingyu, wrote on her microblog. “As long as there is a silver lining of hope, we’ll keep praying.”“I really can’t believe this,” one of the family’s neighbors, Hao Jingyu, wrote on her microblog. “As long as there is a silver lining of hope, we’ll keep praying.”
Among the many others in Beijing waiting for word were the wife and 10-year-old daughter of Maimaitijiang Abula, an ethnic Uighur painter and art teacher from the desert oasis town of Kashgar. The family had been living in Beijing for the past two years while Mr. Abula, 35, studied here at the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting. He was traveling in the group of more than 20 Chinese calligraphers and painters honored at an exhibition at the Malaysian Oriental Arts Center in Kuala Lumpur.Among the many others in Beijing waiting for word were the wife and 10-year-old daughter of Maimaitijiang Abula, an ethnic Uighur painter and art teacher from the desert oasis town of Kashgar. The family had been living in Beijing for the past two years while Mr. Abula, 35, studied here at the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting. He was traveling in the group of more than 20 Chinese calligraphers and painters honored at an exhibition at the Malaysian Oriental Arts Center in Kuala Lumpur.
“She just can’t accept it,” a friend, Ku’erbanjiang Saimaiti, said on Sunday of Mr. Abula’s wife. “There’s no information at all at this moment.”“She just can’t accept it,” a friend, Ku’erbanjiang Saimaiti, said on Sunday of Mr. Abula’s wife. “There’s no information at all at this moment.”
Mr. Abula was proud of his hometown, in the far west, and had done interpretation there for a state television film crew led by Mr. Saimaiti when they were shooting a documentary in 2010. Mr. Abula had joined the Chinese Communist Party and was often teased for it by friends. But he insisted he did not want to become an official, Mr. Saimaiti said, and he was “a responsible and kind artist.”Mr. Abula was proud of his hometown, in the far west, and had done interpretation there for a state television film crew led by Mr. Saimaiti when they were shooting a documentary in 2010. Mr. Abula had joined the Chinese Communist Party and was often teased for it by friends. But he insisted he did not want to become an official, Mr. Saimaiti said, and he was “a responsible and kind artist.”
Mr. Abula had just won an award in Malaysia and posted a photograph of it online.Mr. Abula had just won an award in Malaysia and posted a photograph of it online.
In an upscale apartment compound in Beijing called Central Park, neighbors of Muktesh Mukherjee and Xiaomo Bai, the Canadian couple, wondered what might have befallen them on the flight. Ms. Bai, 37, was originally from China and a graduate of Beijing Foreign Studies University. Mr. Mukherjee, 42, worked for Xcoal Energy & Resources, based in Pennsylvania. They took frequent beach vacations in Southeast Asia, often with their two sons. The younger one, Miles, turns 3 in May.In an upscale apartment compound in Beijing called Central Park, neighbors of Muktesh Mukherjee and Xiaomo Bai, the Canadian couple, wondered what might have befallen them on the flight. Ms. Bai, 37, was originally from China and a graduate of Beijing Foreign Studies University. Mr. Mukherjee, 42, worked for Xcoal Energy & Resources, based in Pennsylvania. They took frequent beach vacations in Southeast Asia, often with their two sons. The younger one, Miles, turns 3 in May.
They also took romantic holidays without the children. In 2012, they flew to Rome and Greece to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. And this month, they had gone, just the two of them, to Vietnam on a beach getaway. That was how they ended up on Flight MH370.They also took romantic holidays without the children. In 2012, they flew to Rome and Greece to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. And this month, they had gone, just the two of them, to Vietnam on a beach getaway. That was how they ended up on Flight MH370.
“They were doting parents with two lovely boys,” said Paul Haenle, who lives in their building.“They were doting parents with two lovely boys,” said Paul Haenle, who lives in their building.
Ms. Bai’s Facebook page has photographs of the boys playing in the snow outside their apartment last month. She wrote, “The first snowfall of this winter!!!” The boys lie outside in the powder smiling. They are making snow angels.Ms. Bai’s Facebook page has photographs of the boys playing in the snow outside their apartment last month. She wrote, “The first snowfall of this winter!!!” The boys lie outside in the powder smiling. They are making snow angels.