Relatives sob after announcement on missing Malaysia Airlines plane

"My mind is a mess right now. Can we talk later?" he said in a telephone interview.

Nan Jinyan, whose brother-in-law Yan Ling, a medical company engineer, was aboard the flight on a business trip, said she was prepared for the worst when she heard the Malaysian prime minister would hold a news conference.

"This is a blow to us, and it is beyond description," Nan said.

In Kuala Lumpur, screaming could be heard from inside the Hotel Bangi Putrajaya, where some of the families of passengers had been given rooms.

Selamat Omar, father of a 29-year-old aviation engineer aboard the flight, said in a telephone interview that Malaysia Airlines had not yet briefed the families on whether they will be taken to Australia. He said they expected more details Tuesday.

"We accept the news of the tragedy. It is fate," Selamat said.