They claim that the national airline had neglected in planning the flight plan and the flight’s operation.
The crew members are Nur Shazana Mohamed Salleh, Hamdazlin Sham Mohamed Arifin, Sanjid Singh, Mohd Ghafar Abu Bakar, Lee Hui Pin and Chong Yee Pheng.
“MH17 took the route which was an area of conflict,” said the families in a statement.”This was not the conduct of a reasonably prudent and professional airline.”
“It was so extreme in its’ negligence.”
The families claim that MAS failed to ensure its’ employees’ safety, health and welfare when flying over a conflict zone.
The family members are seeking general, special, aggravated and exemplary damages.
The family’s lawyer, Balan Nair Thamodaran, said that prior to filing the lawsuit, MAS had proposed to settle on compensation to the families. “However the proposed sum was not acceptable,” he said. “There’s no agreement on compensation.”
“The families have pressed MAS for consent from the airline administrator to initiate civil action.”
Balan said the families have not ruled out negotiations with MAS on compensation. “The families are not ‘closing the doors’ on that,” he said. “We are open to any form of settlement.”
Balan was also waiting for consent from the airline administrator to file another lawsuit on behalf of the family of a local passenger aboard MH17. “The family has instructed us to file a claim,” he said.
The administrator, according to the lawyer, asked for some specific documents from them. “Once we get consent, we will file the lawsuits,” he said.
On 17 July 2014, MH17 was shot down by a Buk missile in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. All 283 passengers and 15 crew on board perished.