PETALING JAYA (The Star/Asia News Network) - Shocked relatives and friends of those on board MH17 have taken to social media in an attempt to find out what has become of their loved ones.
From postings made on Facebook profile of a self-employed Dutch national, he and his partner were among those on board the aircraft, which is said to have been shot down in Ukrainian airspace en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam.
Mr Cor Pan and his partner Neeltje Tol, whose Facebook profiles suggest they own a flower business, were among those on board after the former posted a picture of the flight on his page prior to take off.
He even joked in Dutch "if it (plane) goes missing, this is what it looks like", referring to a picture of the plane taken from the departure hall.
Upon news of the crash late last night, his friends and relatives began posting comments on the photo indicating that he and Tol were on the flight.
"Turns out to be our cousin Cor was on this plane! Unreal truth... very bizarre," said Facebook user Jan Veerman.
Another cousin Jan Painter said: "Rest in peace cousin..."
"Terrible and unfair. Rest in peace Cor and Neeltje," commented Renate Silven.
"I can not believe this ... devastated. Rest in peace," said another friend Jan Keizer Jr.
Malaysia Airlines stewardess Angeline Premila is also among those believed to have been on the Boeing 777.
The Klang-born woman, who appears to be in her mid-20s, had friends writing well wishes and prayers on her Facebook wall, for her safe return.
Her colleagues, who had seen the crew manifest, had written asking her to get in touch as soon as she is safe.
Colin Suppiah wrote "please be okay... please," while Shark Rs, who appears to be a colleague of Angeline's, wrote "Angieee ... pleaseee! I know you are on board that plane ... saw the list already, plss..plss..plsss..respond to me once u safe wherever you are."
Ilham Iskandar wrote: "Hope you are fine Angeline Premila! Pls come back home safely" while AR Ganesh Durai wrote: "Hope you are not on the plane dear."
Countless comments of similar nature flooded her wall and the Facebook timelines of other crew and passengers who were believed to have been on MH17.
Twitter user Ain Senrose said she did not know how to break the news to her mother that her aunt, chief stewardess Dora Shahila Kassim, was on MH17.
"I am heartbroken to hear that my aunt, who is my mother's younger sister, was there (on the flight), and my mother still does not know about this.
"Pray for all the passengers of MH17 and my aunt. Dora Shahila Binti Kassim," she tweeted.
A check on Ms Dora's Facebook account showed that the single mother's last few profile picture changes were in black, in prayer for those on board MH370.
Many of her friends commented on these photos, saying that they were glad she had not been on MH370 and that she was safe.
Ms Dora is believed to be among the 15 crew members on MH17.
On her Facebook profile, Ms Dora stated that she was a divorcee.
Many of the photos on her profile were of Ms Dora with her 15-year-old daughter, Diyana Yazeera, who is away studying in a college in Seremban.
