Relatives of those missing on Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 on Thursday protested in Beijing, demanding that the search for their loved ones not be called off.
A report is due out March 7, a day before the first anniversary of the incident, and some are concerned the search operations will stop.
No fewer than two dozen Chinese relatives of the missing protested at the Malaysian embassy on Thursday.
Police officers cordoned off the area in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, and over 50 police cars, buses and five firetrucks were deployed to the area.
Over 15 protesters were removed by police and brought to a support centre, family members told newsmen.
Two elderly people were seen crying and refusing to leave while others sat down and refused to move.
MH 370 disappeared from radar around an hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8, with 239 people on board.
Some family members said they were worried that the upcoming report would announce an end to search operations.
“Do not declare MH370 lost without evidence,” a post published on the family members’ said.
Malaysian Deputy Transport Minister, Aziz Kaprawi said that the report would include some findings of the investigation, but “we have not concluded on the status of the plane, as the search is still ongoing.”
Most of the missing passengers were from China and many of their relatives hold out hope that the passengers were still alive.
“The search is not over and they have not gotten enough evidence to conclude the aircarft is lost.
“It would be disrespectful to life and disrespect to the Chinese people to call off the search before finding the wreck. I miss my child and cannot sleep many nights,” Zhang Yuxi, father of one of the passengers, said.
China’s lunar New Year, when family members traditionally gather, is on February 19.
Search operations for the airliner were continuing in the southern Indian Ocean, where data showed it was likely to have crashed, but no physical evidence has been recovered so far.
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