MH17: Steward swaps work shift with colleague

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Sanjid Singh Sandhu, a steward who was aboard the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17, was not meant to be on the ill-fated plane but had changed his work shift with his colleague at the last minute.
His father Jijar Singh, 71 (pix), said his son had contacted him on Tuesday and informed him that he had changed shifts with his colleague to go to Amsterdam.
"Actually Sanjid is not supposed to be in the plane. He only said he changed his shift without telling me the reason.
"My son also told me he will return to visit me and my wife today and his mother has cooked his favourite dishes," he told reporters when met at his house in Taman Selamat, Alma here today.
Sanjid Singh, 41, is among 15 crew members aboard flight MH17 that lost contact at about 12.15 pm (Amsterdam time) 30 km from Tamak waypoint, about 50 km from the Russia-Ukraine border.
The MAS flight, MH17, was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it went down in Ukraine. It was carrying 298 people - 283 passengers and 15 crew.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said early today that Ukrainian authorities believe that the Boeing 777 was shot down.
Jijar, a government pensioner, said he received the news that had befallen Sanjid after getting a telephone call fron his daughter, who was in Italy.
"Sanjid's wife and son live in Selangor and they have also contacted me," he said.
Jijar, who was saddened by the tragedy, said the last time his only son visited him was last month. – Bernama