BEIJING — Distraught relatives of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 passengers scuffled with police, wailed and crawled along the sidewalk Friday during an angry protest outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing.
Frustrated by seemingly mixed messages from the Malaysian and French governments over whether debris definitely linked to the missing Boeing 777, the 50-strong group attempted to gain entry to the building to demand an explanation from officials.
"I can't trust them," said Wang Wing Lei, whose parents were aboard the jetliner that disappeared on March 8 last year. "This is not the first time they get the wrong news … Why? You tell me why?"
The anger was fueled by differing language from Malaysia and France on the certainty that a wing part found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion last month belonged to MH370.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said experts had "conclusively confirmed" it was from the missing plane, while a prosecutor in France said only that investigators could "very strongly presume" a connection.
"This is a conspiracy. Everything is fake."
"I can’t believe anything without evidence," Wang told NBC News before the protest began. "Imagine if you always got the wrong information, maybe today they tell you, 'We found something,' and three days later they say they’re not sure."
Most of MH370's 239 passengers and crew were Chinese. There have been regular protests throughout the investigation, with family members angry at what they say has been a lack of information and hasty decision to declare the aircraft lost.
Dai Shuqin, another protester whose sister was on board the flight, refused to believe the find was connected to MH370.
"These findings are fake," Dai said. "This is a conspiracy. Everything is fake."
Dai asked why the family members could not go to Reunion themselves to check the wreckage. "We can tell what belongs to our loved ones," she said.
"We don’t want to talk of compensation, we want our loved ones back," said Lu Zhanzhong, whose son was on the plane. "Tell us the truth. Tell us what happened."
Meanwhile, French officials on Reunion announced Friday they would be conducting a week-long search for more debris. Dominque Sorain, one of the administrative heads of the island, said the search would involve a plane, two helicopters and ground personnel from the French military and police.
