Story highlights
Malaysian Prime Minister says piece of debris is from MH370
"I was left somewhat confused and, frankly, a little angry and dismayed," says the husband of passenger
K.S. Narendran, whose wife was aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, may be more confused now than ever.
He watched Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announce that plane debris recently found on the French island of Reunion belonged to the ill-fated flight.
But then he heard a French official speak and muddy the issue. There are “very strong presumptions” that the part belongs to the missing Boeing 777, Paris Deputy Prosecutor Serge Mackowiak said, adding that more testing will be done to prove the connection conclusively.
Read about K.S. Narendran’s inner dialog with his wife
“I was left a little confused to start with because the Prime Minister was very definitive, and the French were sort off … what shall we say … I think they were, there was a lot of wordplay there, and I was wondering therefore what to believe,” Narendran told CNN. “I was left somewhat confused and, frankly, a little angry and dismayed.”
Narendran’s wife of 25 years, Chandrika Sharma, was one of 239 people aboard MH370 when it disappeared in March 2014. He has been waiting for answers ever since.
“I didn’t hear facts. I didn’t hear the basics. I heard nothing, and so it leaves me wondering whether there is a foregone conclusion, and everybody is racing to the finish,” Narendran said.
Dear Chandrika: Conversations with my missing wife
‘Burden and uncertainty’
The Prime Minister spoke early Thursday morning local time. Many of those with loved ones on Flight 370 were likely asleep when news of the debris discovery broke. Malaysia Airlines sent a message to some family members shortly before Najib’s announcement.
“The burden and uncertainty faced by the families during this time has been unspeakable,” the Prime Minister said. “It is my hope that this confirmation, however tragic and painful, will at least bring certainty to the families and loved ones of the 239 people on board MH370.”
Sondra Wood, whose son Philip was on the flight, said she feels the announcement “is the beginning of closure.”
“We know that it’s definitely in the ocean. It may be a journey or we may never find the plane, but at this point at least we don’t have to wonder, or guess, or fruitlessly hope that they could still be alive,” she told CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper.”
“I loved him, miss him,” she said. “There’s a hole there where Philip isn’t.”
But, like Narendran, other family members say they are left with more heartache and questions than answers.
“I don’t believe this. I don’t!” said Xu Jinghong, whose mother was on board Flight 370. “I am furious and I think this announcement is very irresponsible.”
Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the flight, agreed.
“I am suspicious of Malaysia Airlines’ words because in the past they have a track record of going back and forth in what they say, of being true and not true. What I hope right now is for the Chinese officials to give me a confirmed answer,” he said.
Malaysia urged to fulfill commitments
For its part, the government in Beijing offered condolences to the relatives of MH370’s passengers and crew but urged Malaysia to “fulfill their commitments” to fully investigate the disappearance and to reach fair settlements for the victims’ families.
“The Malaysian side announced on August 6 that the aircraft debris found on Reunion Island on July 29 is indeed from MH370. The result confirms the conclusion of MH370’s crash,” said China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying in a statement.
“The Chinese government is deeply saddened by the misfortunes that all the people onboard – Chinese passengers included – have encountered. We would like to convey our deep sympathies and sincere condolences to their families,” the statement added.
“We request the Malaysian side to earnestly fulfill their commitments, continuing to investigate the reasons behind plane’s disappearance, and make full preparations for the aftermath settlements to effectively protect the legitimate rights of the families,” the statement concluded.
But Dai Shuqin, whose sister’s family was on board MH370, told CNN in Beijing she wasn’t interested in money, only the real truth. While Zhang Yongli, whose daughter was a passenger, insisted that those on board the missing jetliner are still trapped on an island somewhere.
Ghyslain Wattrelos had been scheduled to speak to CNN about the debris announcement, but backed out at the last minute. His wife and teenage son and daughter were on the plane.
“The Malaysian Embassy in Paris called me to give me the news,” he said. “I can’t speak. I’m sorry, I just can’t do it.”
CNN’s Yuli Yang, Will Ripley and Hala Gorani contributed to this report.
