A delegation of painters and calligraphers, a group of Buddhists returning from a religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur, a three-generation family, nine senior travelers and five toddlers.
They hail from 14 countries, but most of the 227 passengers on board missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 were Chinese, according to the manifest released by the airline. The 12 missing crew members on the flight that went missing Friday were Malaysian.
Other passengers were from India, Indonesia, Australia, the United States, France, New Zealand, Ukraine, Canada, Russia and the Netherlands, the airline said.
The 154 passengers from China (including Taiwan) included a group of painters and calligraphers and Buddhists returning from a religious gathering, Chinese state media reported. In Beijing, relatives of the passengers waited for hours at a hotel for news about the missing flight.
One woman shouted in Chinese, "My son was only 40 years old."
An Austrian Foreign Ministry spokesman said a man listed on the airline's manifest is safe and was never aboard the aircraft. The Austrian national's passport was stolen two years ago, Austrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Weiss told CNN.
Similarly, Italian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aldo Amati said no one from his country was on the plane, even though an Italian was on the manifest. Malaysian officials said they were aware of reports that the Italian's passport had been stolen, but had not confirmed that.
U.S. nationals on the plane's manifest were identified by the airline as Philip Wood, 51; Nicole Meng, 4; and Yan Zhang, 2.
A senior U.S. State Department official confirmed Saturday that three U.S. citizens were onboard the aircraft. Embassy officials were trying to determine whether additional U.S. citizens were on the flight.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. "Officials from the U.S. Embassies in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing are in contact with the individuals' families. Out of respect for them, we are not providing additional information at this time."
The plane was carrying five children under 5 years old, the airline said.
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