Chinese MH370 relatives reject Malaysian conclusion that passengers of missing plane are dead

A traveler checks out the departure board at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, in Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority officially declared the MH370 crash an accident on Thursday, fulfilling a legal obligation that will allow efforts to proceed with compensation claims. (AP Photo/Joshua Paul) (The Associated Press)

Malaysia Airlines flight crew members head for the the departure lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, in Malaysia, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015. Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority officially declared the MH370 crash an accident on Thursday, fulfilling a legal obligation that will allow efforts to proceed with compensation claims. (AP Photo/Joshua Paul) (The Associated Press)

Policemen try to stop reporters interviewing relatives of passengers aboard Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 that went missing on March 8, 2014, outside Yonghegong Lama Temple in Beijing, Friday, Jan. 30, 2015. Many Chinese families of the victims on the missing Malaysian airliner demanded Friday that officials in Malaysia retract their statement that all aboard died, saying they refuse to believe that conclusion without hard evidence and don’t want to start compensation claims. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (The Associated Press)

Many Chinese families of passengers on the missing Malaysian airline are demanding that Malaysian officials retract their statement that all aboard died.

They say they refuse to believe it without hard evidence and don't want to start compensation claims.

Malaysia's government formally declared still-missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 an accident on Thursday and said all those on board were presumed dead, paving the way for claims to begin. Many of the victims' families in China — where most of the passengers were from — still hold onto hope that their loved ones are alive.