World waits and prays for news of flight

A volunteer (left) tries to comfort family members of the passengers of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at the Metropark Lido Hotel in Beijing on Tuesday. A group of volunteers were there to provide psychological support. Feng Yongbin / China Daily

People around the world are hoping and praying for the well-being of the 239 passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Two million people have left messages of hope and concern on Sina Weibo, the Chinese micro-blogging.

Meanwhile, students from North University of China in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, gathered by the Fenhe River to float lotus lamps and send their prayers and wishes for the missing.

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Religious leaders have also been offering prayers. Master Chun Yi, deputy director of the Buddhist Association of China, wrote on his micro blog account: "Although the best time for the rescue has already passed and there is no accurate information about the passengers and the flight itself, my fellow Buddhists and I are still praying for them."

In Kuala Lumpur, Hahfisar Nadazri, a 28-year-old teacher, said she put up a message for the missing passengers at the Pavilion Shopping Mall, where more than a thousand people posted their wishes on pieces of paper.

"I wrote: 'Come back home. We love you'," said Nadazri. "I feel terrible about the incident. I believe they are all good people and each and every one of them has a family. Their families must be devastated."

Nadazri said she would like to do something to help. "If anyone is taking donations or needs someone to take care of the passengers' families, I would like to help," she said.

About 120 volunteers from various religious groups gathered at the departure hall of Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday to offer prayers for those onboard.

A sign by the exit of the airport reads, "Pray for MH370."

Siti Aoby, 37, said she felt sorry for all those people affected by the incident. She said she prayed for them in front of the sign with her 7-year-old daughter.

Aoby said she was especially sad to hear that there were more than 100 Chinese people on board the missing flight.

"I went to Beijing a couple of years ago," she said. "It was beautiful and I always want to go back. Love and prayers have no boundaries.

"Until more evidence is recovered, we will continue to hope. It is important to keep the hope alive and pray for a miracle," she said.

Low Keong, a 52-year-old Malaysia Airlines passenger, said at Kuala Lumpur International Airport that the prayers expressed the sympathy and best wishes that people felt for the missing passengers.

"But while we are praying for them, we need to discover the problem or loophole that caused this tragedy," he said.

"Finding the problem and fixing it is the only way to avoid another similar tragedy and make passengers feel secure," he added.

The Malaysia Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism said on Tuesday that it was planning a joint prayer ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

Contact the writers at pengyining@chinadaily.com.cn and zhangyuchen@chinadaily.com.cn