Thousands commemorate EgyptAir victims in Cairo

Thousands of people from Egypt and other Arab countries have been rallying in support of Egypt’s national carrier EgyptAir since flight MS804 crashed on May 19, killing all 66 people on board.

The move by the Arab League to commemorate the missing passengers has been seen as a sign of unity while some felt it was a moment to share grievances with the affected families.

“On behalf of myself and the Saudi Arabian people, we feel and share the grief of the Egyptians and we are all united. Many Saudis support Egypt and EgyptAir. Like a lot of Saudis, I came to Cairo this time with EgyptAir, not Saudi airlines, to prove that we are all one and united,” said Khaled El Magrashy, a Saudi Arabian TV anchor.

Others went as far as replacing their flight tickets with EgyptAir tickets.

“Like many others did, I postponed my flight this evening so I could change the booking to be on EgyptAir. This is the very least we can do. This is a message to the world that the Egyptian people support our company, EgyptAir, and will not stand still until we know the truth behind what happened,” said Mohamed Fadel, a movie director.

As the search for wreckage and the plane’s “black box” continues, the public have been rallying to show their support for the stricken airline.

On the other hand, EgyptAir did not cancel any single flight after the fatal crash, demonstrating that hardship and tears can breed the strength to survive. The employees of the carrier were also touched by the incident.

“It shows how we all can stand together in times of need. It’s so touching for us to see everyone side by side, Muslims, Christians, farmers, people coming from far away and others from this town. This gives us a sense that we are not alone. Egyptians are with us in this ordeal,” Ayman Adel, senior captain, Egyptian Pilots Association, told Reuters.