This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/11/world/asia/anger-turns-to-frustration-over-missing-jet.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Anger Over Malaysian Flight Turns to Frustration | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| BEIJING — It was not an easy meeting. The four Malaysia Airlines employees stood with their hands by their sides at the front of a stuffy room in a Beijing hotel on Monday morning, delivering yet more unwelcome news about the missing Flight MH370, and dodging water bottles hurled by irate listeners. | BEIJING — It was not an easy meeting. The four Malaysia Airlines employees stood with their hands by their sides at the front of a stuffy room in a Beijing hotel on Monday morning, delivering yet more unwelcome news about the missing Flight MH370, and dodging water bottles hurled by irate listeners. |
| Unwelcome news meant no news. And by then, relatives and friends of the passengers had spent more than 48 hours pondering, fretting and weeping over what had happened to the flight, which left Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, early Saturday with 239 people on board, most of them Chinese, but never arrived in Beijing. | Unwelcome news meant no news. And by then, relatives and friends of the passengers had spent more than 48 hours pondering, fretting and weeping over what had happened to the flight, which left Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, early Saturday with 239 people on board, most of them Chinese, but never arrived in Beijing. |
| “All Malaysians are liars!” one man shouted in Chinese. “Do you know what ‘liars’ means?” | “All Malaysians are liars!” one man shouted in Chinese. “Do you know what ‘liars’ means?” |
| “Tell him in English,” he yelled to the one woman among the four airline employees. She was the interpreter, and the three men were senior managers. | “Tell him in English,” he yelled to the one woman among the four airline employees. She was the interpreter, and the three men were senior managers. |
| They did not respond to the Chinese man. It was unclear if the interpreter translated the insult. | They did not respond to the Chinese man. It was unclear if the interpreter translated the insult. |
| The grilling went on for more than 20 minutes. Nearly 100 people had crammed into the room, some standing on chairs to get a better view. Journalists were officially barred from the room, though a few had quietly walked in. | The grilling went on for more than 20 minutes. Nearly 100 people had crammed into the room, some standing on chairs to get a better view. Journalists were officially barred from the room, though a few had quietly walked in. |
| Airline employees tried to steer the conversation toward discussing Monday’s goal, which was to organize travel to Malaysia for the anxious relatives and friends. | Airline employees tried to steer the conversation toward discussing Monday’s goal, which was to organize travel to Malaysia for the anxious relatives and friends. |
| The employees laid out several options. For example, they said, the families could go to Kuala Lumpur for one week. Or the families could stay in Beijing for the week to await news before deciding whether to go. The one-week period was not firm and could be extended, they said. | The employees laid out several options. For example, they said, the families could go to Kuala Lumpur for one week. Or the families could stay in Beijing for the week to await news before deciding whether to go. The one-week period was not firm and could be extended, they said. |
| “I want to know now, how many want to go to Kuala Lumpur now, immediately, and how many want to remain in Beijing?” asked Ignatius Ong Ming Choy, one of the Malaysia Airlines executives. | “I want to know now, how many want to go to Kuala Lumpur now, immediately, and how many want to remain in Beijing?” asked Ignatius Ong Ming Choy, one of the Malaysia Airlines executives. |
| That’s when someone threw the first water bottle in his direction. | That’s when someone threw the first water bottle in his direction. |
| But others in the crowd tried to calm the situation. “It won’t do any good,” some people shouted. The airline employees stayed quiet. | But others in the crowd tried to calm the situation. “It won’t do any good,” some people shouted. The airline employees stayed quiet. |
| When they asked for a show of hands to see how many people wanted to go to Malaysia, only a few hands were raised. Most of the people in the room yelled out that they would not leave. At least two more water bottles were thrown. | When they asked for a show of hands to see how many people wanted to go to Malaysia, only a few hands were raised. Most of the people in the room yelled out that they would not leave. At least two more water bottles were thrown. |
| The anger had not abated by the time Chinese officials held a private meeting with the family members a few hours later, in the afternoon. It was the first time Chinese officials had appeared at the Lido Hotel, which since Saturday had been the main gathering place for the passengers’ relatives and friends, most of them Chinese. They had spent hours crammed in a ballroom, waiting for news, and had taken occasional breaks to eat in the lobby restaurant. | The anger had not abated by the time Chinese officials held a private meeting with the family members a few hours later, in the afternoon. It was the first time Chinese officials had appeared at the Lido Hotel, which since Saturday had been the main gathering place for the passengers’ relatives and friends, most of them Chinese. They had spent hours crammed in a ballroom, waiting for news, and had taken occasional breaks to eat in the lobby restaurant. |
| Though many in the room were from Beijing, others appeared to have traveled far from home. An older man from Jiangsu Province, dressed in a dark corduroy jacket, sat calmly on one side of the ballroom, waiting for his son to join him. A young Malaysia Airlines worker offered him water and asked after his situation. | Though many in the room were from Beijing, others appeared to have traveled far from home. An older man from Jiangsu Province, dressed in a dark corduroy jacket, sat calmly on one side of the ballroom, waiting for his son to join him. A young Malaysia Airlines worker offered him water and asked after his situation. |
| The four Chinese officials were from the Foreign Ministry, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Beijing municipal government and the Ministry of Transport’s Maritime Search and Rescue Bureau. As the session wore on, the crowd grew more distraught. | The four Chinese officials were from the Foreign Ministry, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the Beijing municipal government and the Ministry of Transport’s Maritime Search and Rescue Bureau. As the session wore on, the crowd grew more distraught. |
| The officials began by telling the audience about the continuing rescue efforts. Then they took questions. Their message was twofold: The Chinese government was doing all it could, but Flight MH370 was ultimately someone else’s responsibility. | The officials began by telling the audience about the continuing rescue efforts. Then they took questions. Their message was twofold: The Chinese government was doing all it could, but Flight MH370 was ultimately someone else’s responsibility. |
| “Where does primary responsibility lie?” said Liu Zhi, deputy secretary general of the Beijing government. “It is clearly the primary responsibility of Malaysia Airlines.” | “Where does primary responsibility lie?” said Liu Zhi, deputy secretary general of the Beijing government. “It is clearly the primary responsibility of Malaysia Airlines.” |
| Later, Mr. Liu told the audience members that they had the “support of the Chinese government.” | Later, Mr. Liu told the audience members that they had the “support of the Chinese government.” |
| He also asserted that the quality of the Malaysians’ response would certainly be lower if the Chinese government were not involved. “It wouldn’t be the level it is right now,” he said. | He also asserted that the quality of the Malaysians’ response would certainly be lower if the Chinese government were not involved. “It wouldn’t be the level it is right now,” he said. |
| The aviation official said the Chinese government was sending a team to Malaysia on Monday without waiting for the Malaysian government’s invitation. | The aviation official said the Chinese government was sending a team to Malaysia on Monday without waiting for the Malaysian government’s invitation. |
| A personal note was struck when the deputy head of the Foreign Ministry’s consular department said that one of his friends knew somebody on the plane. Speaking in quiet tones, he assured the audience that he sympathized with their anxiety and pain. | A personal note was struck when the deputy head of the Foreign Ministry’s consular department said that one of his friends knew somebody on the plane. Speaking in quiet tones, he assured the audience that he sympathized with their anxiety and pain. |
| Foreign Minister Wang Yi is making “several calls a day” about the missing aircraft, he said. | Foreign Minister Wang Yi is making “several calls a day” about the missing aircraft, he said. |
| By this point, most people in the audience were listening quietly. Several wiped their eyes. There were still flashes of anger, though. | By this point, most people in the audience were listening quietly. Several wiped their eyes. There were still flashes of anger, though. |
| “Why don’t you give us some answers?” a middle-aged woman screamed at one point, interrupting the speaker as her friend tried to comfort her. “Do you know how much pain we’re in? Those are our children!” | |
| Calmed by her friend, she sat down, still distressed but subdued. | Calmed by her friend, she sat down, still distressed but subdued. |
| “I’m not crying,” she said. “I have no more tears.” | “I’m not crying,” she said. “I have no more tears.” |
| Throughout the day, Malaysia Airlines employees in bright blue vests wandered around the room offering bottled water to those waiting. Along one side of the room, tables had been set up where the Chinese could get help filling out passport, visa and hotel forms. In one corner, someone had put together a studio for taking passport photos. | Throughout the day, Malaysia Airlines employees in bright blue vests wandered around the room offering bottled water to those waiting. Along one side of the room, tables had been set up where the Chinese could get help filling out passport, visa and hotel forms. In one corner, someone had put together a studio for taking passport photos. |