Legal aid for MH370 passengers' relatives

BEIJING - Beijing will provide legal aid for relatives of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, said government authorities on Monday.

Beijing has paid for psychological counselling, emergency rescue services, as well as a "green channel" for passport applications, said Liu Zhi, deputy secretary general of Beijing municipal government at a press conference.

The government has also ensured their accommodation, travel costs and other services, he said.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, five reception sites have received a total of 357 relatives of passengers onboard the missing flight.

Malaysia Airlines on Sunday in Beijing said that it would help relatives of passengers on board its missing flight to fly from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur.

As of 7 p.m. Monday, the Civil Aviation Administration of China(CAAC) has not yet received any application from Malaysia Airlines for the chartered airplane for passengers' relatives, according to the CAAC.

As soon as they receive an application, the CAAC will offer convenience, said the CAAC.