MAS stewardess dead in Amsterdam

[R y u]

Sunday January 16, 2011

MAS stewardess dead in Amsterdam

PETALING JAYA: A Malaysia Airlines (MAS) air stewardess was found dead in a hotel at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport early Friday morning.

Chin Swee Len, 34, had flown to the Dutch capital on Tuesday and was supposed to have returned to Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The cause of death has yet to be ascertained.

Her body was said to have been found by hotel employees.

When contacted, the hotel front office staff confirmed that Chin had checked in on Tuesday. “But she left her room the following day.”

MAS personnel found out about her disappearance when she failed to turn up for a pre-departure briefing.

MAS operations director Capt Azharuddin Osman said the airline was deeply saddened by the death of the cabin crew member.

“Our main concern now is to support the family where we can,” he said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to them during this difficult time.”

Capt Azharuddin said Chin’s family had been informed and arrangements were being made to fly them over to the Dutch capital.

The family members left on a MAS flight from the KL International Airport last night.

“We are fully co-operating with the authorities as they are still in the process of ascertaining the cause of death,” said Capt Azharuddin.

“Any other information on this matter is pure speculation at this point in time,” he said, adding that MAS was unable to disclose any further details as it was a police case.

 

[R y u]

Published: Sunday January 16, 2011 MYT 5:21:00 PM
Updated: Sunday January 16, 2011 MYT 6:07:18 PM

Police rule out foul play in the death of MAS stewardess

By STEVEN DANIEL

PETALING JAYA: The Dutch police have ruled out foul play in the death of MAS stewardess Chin Swee Len. Chin, 34, was found dead in a hotel in Amsterdam on Friday.

A spokeperson for Malaysia’s mission in The Hague said this was the finding following preliminary police investigations.

It is also learnt that members of Chin’s family were already in Amsterdam and working with the mission to bring her body back to Malaysia.

However, no further details are available.

Chin, 34 joined MAS in 1997 and the airline has said her service record throughout her tenure has been exemplary.

She leaves behind a husband, who also works in MAS, and a child.

 

[Pang De]

Thursday January 20, 2011

Chin’s body brought home

By CHITRA S. NATHAN
[email protected]

SEREMBAN: The remains of 34-year-old Malaysia Airlines stewardess Chin Swee Len (pic), who was found dead in Amster_dam last week, was brought home.

It was a sombre atmosphere at the couple’s home in Taman Oak-land here yesterday as friends and neighbours paid their respects to Chin. Preparations are being made for the memorial service and cremation tomorrow.

Chin’s husband Cheng Yin Chet, 39, said he was grateful for the assistance he received from the Malaysian Embassy and MAS officials who expedited the processing of documents allowing him to return home with his wife’s remains sooner than expected.

“It has been a difficult time for us and we are grateful for the help we received,” he told reporters outside their home.

A visibly distraught Cheng again appealed to the public and media not to speculate about the cause of his wife’s death, stressing that he would hold a press conference on Saturday to reveal the Dutch police findings.

“I have already seen the post-mortem report and it rules out foul play. There was no criminal element involved at all. “Losing her is such a shock and my priority is to ensure she gets a proper send-off.

I have no time to think of other things now and I do not want to say anything more,” he said, adding that he would not hesitate to take legal action on misleading reports regarding his wife’s death.

Chin flew to Amsterdam last Tuesday and was supposed to have returned on Saturday. She was found dead at the Radis-son Hotel car park in Amsterdam at 9am on Friday morning.

Distraught husband: Cheng looking at his wife’s remains at their home in Taman Oakland, Seremban Wednesday.

Hariana Che Hussain, 47, who has been the couple’s neighbour for the past seven years described the stewardess as a cheerful and sweet-natured person. “When I first read the news report, I had no idea it was Chin as I was away at the time. I was shocked when my husband told me.

“She was very close to my daughter and would always share her travel experiences with her. I can’t believe she’s gone,” she said tearfully. Hariana said Chin was an animal lover and would always feed the stray cats in the back lane during her off days.

“She was such a kind and happy person. I’d know if she was at home because she would be busy cooking in the kitchen or singing along to karaoke songs,” she said, adding that she was going to miss her friend.

Chin joined MAS in 1997 and was said to have had an exemplary record.

 

[Zhen Ji]

Sunday January 23, 2011

Stewardess’ family believes she slipped from top floor of hotel

By SARBAN SINGH
[email protected]

SEREMBAN: The family of Malaysia Airlines stewardess Chin Swee Len, who was found dead in the car park of a hotel in Amsterdam on Jan 13, does not believe she committed suicide by jumping.

Her husband Cheng Yin Chet, 39, said Chin had been making elaborate plans for Chinese New Year, including texting her brother about dinner at her home on the first day of the celebration before departing on her flight.

Chin, 34, who had been with the national carrier since 1997, had also taken their 17-year-old son for Chinese New Year shopping before her flight to Amsterdam and promised to go for a vacation in Australia in September, he added.

CNY text: Cheng showing his late wife’s mobile phone with the text message she sent to her brother before her departure for Amsterdam.

“She told me that she would only get us new clothes upon her return,” said Cheng, adding that his wife would often go for walks after a long flight to avoid jetlag. “Her room’s electronic data showed that on the said day, she left her room at about 10pm and had probably gone to the eighth or ninth floor, which was the hotel’s top most floor, to get some air.

“We believe that she must have slipped and fell,” he said, adding that the windows in Chin’s hotel room could only open a few centimetres. Chin had flown to the Dutch capital on Jan 11 and was supposed to have returned on Jan 15. However, when she failed to turn up at a pre-departure briefing, her colleagues went to look for her in their hotel located near Schiphol Airport.

It was reported that her colleagues were then told that she had been found unconscious at the hotel’s parking lot by other guests. There were also other reports which said that she was found dead in her room with bruises all over her body or that she had been robbed and thrown out of her room on the fourth floor.

Dutch police have since ruled out foul play in her death. A hotel guest saw Chin’s body sprawled on the car park below at about 4am the following morning. Cheng, who returned from Amsterdam on Jan 19 with his wife’s remains, said Chin’s belongings, including her laptop and cash, were still in her room.

“In fact, even her luggage had not been opened,” he said, adding that she had stayed at the hotel several times before. Cheng said he was satisfied with the investigation conducted by the Dutch authorities. “I am satisifed that there was no criminal element involved in her death. Robbery was not a motive,” he said, adding that Chin did not suffer from any medical condition.

Cheng, who is also Seremban Gerakan Youth head, denied that he had any marital problem with Chin. Malaysian Ambassador to the Netherlands Datuk Fauziah Taib had said police investigation showed that there were no signs of forced entry into Chin’s room.

 

[Shiva]

OD on weeds?