Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The family of Hendry, a victim of the recent Malaysian Airlines crash in Ukraine, has asked newsmen not to interview family members.

"Please, do not interview our father, as he is still mourning," said Christine, when newsmen came to her home on Jalan Garuda here on Saturday.

Hendrys sister, age 20, said that her father, Ngsian Seng, age 49, was still weak after receiving news that Hendry was on the doomed MH17 plane.

She said that before the flight, Hendry called home, saying that he was alright.

"I am right now at the airport in Amsterdam and will soon take off for Kuala Lumpur," she said, quoting her brother.

Not long after the phone conversation, the family heard that the airplane had crashed.

"Our father was shocked when he learned that the plane that Hendry was on board had crashed. Our father is still very sad," Christine said.

Hendry, age 28, was one of the 12 Indonesian citizens aboard the plane that crashed in eastern Ukraine while carrying 298 people. It is believed that the plane crashed after being hit by a missile while flying over the war-zone on the Ukraine-Russia border.

The family of Gerda Leliana Lahenda, age 83, another Indonesian citizen on board the MH17 aircraft, is hoping the victims body could be immediately returned to Indonesia.

"The family has accepted the loss. Mother is already happy meeting God there. But we are still confused, as we have not yet seen her body," Lahendas daughter-in-law, Aviani Lahenda, age 53, told newsmen when met at her house in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, on Saturday.

She said her mother was in the Netherlands for a holiday, to visit her sisters and brothers, and their children, who live in the Netherlands.

"Grandma has two children and five grandchildren. She stayed at the house of her children once every two weeks. So we are very close to her," her grandchild, Anetta Lahenda, age 24, said.

She added that although her grandmother was elderly, she refused to be accompanied when she went to the Netherlands, saying if anything happened to her that would be Gods decision.

"She also left aboard Malaysian Airlines plane, despite the MH370 incident before. She said it was fate."

reporting by munawar mandailing
(H-YH/INE/o001)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/O001)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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