Work starts on compensation claims

A Chinese legal team is prepared to discuss compensation with Malaysia Airlines after Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation officially declared the disappearance of Malaysia Air-lines Flight MH370 to be an accident on Thursday.

"The work to seek compensation can start now that the air-line has declared the disappearance an accident," said Zang Hongliang, a lawyer from the Beijing Global Law Office who is deputy director of the legal team representing dozens of relatives of Chinese passengers aboard Flight MH370.

Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation in Malaysia, said in a statement on Thursday that the Malaysian government will ensure that Malaysia Airlines will undertake its responsibilities, including "the fulfillment of the compensation process. ... We further understand that Malaysia Airlines is ready to proceed immediately with the compensation process."