Twist of fate – a Malaysian air steward is dead after swapping himself onto flight MH17, only months after his wife, who is also a steward, saved her own life by swapping herself off the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

Sanjid Singh's last minute decision to board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has devastated his family.

The Malaysian Insider reported that the 41-year-old had swapped flights with a colleague to fly on the Kuala Lumpur-bound Boeing 777.

His wife had swapped out of flight MH370 which has been missing since March.

The father of the steward, 71-year-old Jijar Singh, sobbed as he said was eager to see his youngest child and only son after the flight.

'He always called us before he leaves for his trip,' Sanjid's father said.

'Sanjid's wife was meant to fly on MH370 but swapped with another colleague at the last minute.'

A list which names the 15 crew members on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 shows they were all Malaysian.

A post from @annerafdzi shows a list which details information including their rank, age and gender. They were aged from 27 to 54.

The list shows the two captains on the plane were Wan Amran Bin Wan Hussin, 50, and Eugene Choo Jin Leong, 45.

Angeline Premila, who is named last on the list, was reportedly a stewardess on the flight.

One friend, Mohammad Mohaimeen Rashid, shared the 30-year-old's photo on Facebook and wrote: 'You didn't die, you just will be flying higher. Rest in peace'.

Friends of another flight attendant Shazana Salleh, 31, wrote on her Facebook page.

'We pray for you Shazana. #MH17,' Hideaki Tanaka said.

Kamarularifin Arshad  wrote: 'Please be safe.'

Danica Weeks, from Perth, who lost her husband on missing flight MH370 has spoken out in the aftermath of the most recent Malaysia Airlines tragedy, telling affected families that she knows what they're going through. 

'I know the pain it causes and it’s just horrible, my heart goes out to the families,' she told Port Macquarie News.

She has urged families affected by the tragedy to stick together, criticising the way Malaysia Airlines have handled their affairs since MH370 went missing in March.

'Malaysia Airlines...[communication] has been far and few between, they haven’t been very good at communicating at all.'