beijing, with those more than 230 passengers and crew on board. and the worst case scenario for many in an airline investigation is hijacking for the families. that's become the best case scenario. >> translator: this situation has broken my heart. my tears have run dry. i hope the plane was hijacked because then at least there is hope. >> reporter: that hope is really what they're clinging to, but after so many days, it's extremely unlikely anyone survived. what we can presume is a crash. but all these theories that perhaps the plane landed and went somewhere else. for the family members here and around the world who are connected very personally to this flight, for them, that is the hope they want to believe, even though logically speaking, they don't. and counselors say this not