Committed to find the truth, says partner of MH370 passenger

Philip Wood was one of three Americans who were on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

An enthusiastic traveller, the 50-year-old IBM executive had been transferred to Malaysia from Beijing, China, with his partner, Sarah Bajc. The trip to Beijing on March 8 last year was his last planned trip before settling down in Kuala Lumpur.

A year on, Bajc, who teaches economics and business in one of the international schools here, said she is slowly coming to terms with the ambiguity of this whole ordeal.

Speaking to Astro AWANI, the 49-year-old said she was shocked at first when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the Boeing-777 jet shockingly made its stop in the Indian Ocean. The shock soon turned into anger, caused by the uncertainty of the actual scenario.

The pain of losing somebody important in her life has been further aggravated by the chaos, conspiracy theories, the media and the seemingly lack of information from Malaysian officials.

"I continued to work full time, I still have three kids to raise, and I have a great family as well as friends who are extremely supportive. But on an emotional level, it's really hard to move on because we have no answers," says Bajc.

She said she expected the Declaration of Loss (D.O.L.) by the Malaysian government, but it surprised her more that it was made that soon – on January 29 – barely a year since the plane disappeared.

"To me, the announcement seems suspiciously convenient – it's like a 'wishful statement' on their part," she said.


Bajc says, for her and her family, everyday is a sad day. Not a single day has gone by that she hasn’t thought of Wood.

She says this March 8 will be particularly difficult for her and that all she wants to do is to spend time alone and reflect on the good times she had with her partner.

"I am committed to finding the truth, I will stay another year. I will stay here as long as I need to find a resolution," she says.