A heartache no one can heal

The first arrival: Army personnel carrying the coffin containing the remains of leading stewardess Mastura Mustafa from the special aircraft during the ceremony at the Bunga Raya Complex in KLIA.

PETALING JAYA: It was a sad, sad moment. And it was an historic moment as the nation came together to mourn the deaths of 43 civilians who had fallen victim to a war fought far, far away.

There were many who did it their own way. Tears flowed freely as people everywhere – not just the airline crew and the passengers’ families – wept. Cars and motorcycles stopped. Even in Penang’s cross-channel ferry, passengers stood silent for a minute.