The article "Malaysia jet may have disintegrated in mid air" (March 10) makes me wonder about the safety of air travel. The article, which said that the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines jetliner could have disintegrated in mid-flight, sends chill into my spine as we plan to go on vacation a few months from now. It was unfortunate that 239 people may have lost their lives in that flight, which was first reported to have gone missing on Saturday. The incident raises the question on how thin is the line that separates life and death. Nobody knows when a plane you are traveling on may just crash any moment. The picture which accompanied your first article published on Sunday captured the pain and sorrow of the relatives of those who were on board. The prospect of losing loved ones is hard to bear. Now, it seems that their unfortunate relatives are indeed gone. There were insinuations in your article on Monday that were at least four passengers who took the flight on lost or stolen passport. Although the report said there seems to be no foul play in the disappearance of the aircraft, this should put airport authorities on their toes to curb the possibility of planes being hijacked on mid-air and airline companies to ensure that the engines of their aircraft are well-check before any flight. Life is so precious to be left to chance. Daniel Ortega, Jeddah
