Angry relatives of Chinese passengers aboard Flight MH370 scuffled with security personnel Tuesday as they descended on Malaysia's embassy in a rare protest.

"Return our relatives," around 200 family members cried at the gates of the Beijing mission, which was protected by a row of uniformed police and plain clothes security.

Scuffles broke out when uniformed security personnel attempted to block some of the relatives from reaching reporters, who were being kept in a designated area.

One woman was taken away on a stretcher.

Paramilitary police with riot shields assembled nearby, out of view of the protesters.

The relatives, some in tears, had linked arms as they marched from the Lido Hotel, where they have gathered throughout the 17-day drama, about four kilometres to the mission.

They erupted in grief, fury and disbelief late Monday when Malaysia announced that although no wreckage has been found, satellite data showed the plane had crashed in the Indian Ocean.

Malaysia Airlines' chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya defended the carrier against criticism that relatives were told in a text message that the plane was lost with no survivors.

"Our sole motivation last night... was that the families heard the tragic news before the world did," he said at a press conference. "There are no words which can ease that pain."

Chinese authorities normally keep a very tight rein on any protests in Beijing.

But at intersections along the way police blocked traffic to allow the marchers through, while at the embassy scores of black-clad uniformed police officers kept the roads clear, their walkie-talkies abuzz.

A family member of a passenger aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 cries during a protest in Beijing

Family members of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 scuffle with policemen during a protest, in Beijing

Family members of passengers onboard the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 hold papers as they protest outside Lido Hotel in Beijing, March 25, 2014.

A man walks past as police set up a cordon outside the Malaysian embassy in Beijing

Police stand guard outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing

A representative reads complaints about the Malaysian government by relatives of Chinese passengers aboard MH370 in Beijing

Relatives of MH370 pasengers react after an announcement by Malaysian PM Najib on the missing flight

A relative of passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 cries in Beijing, after hearing an announcement on the missing flight by Malaysian PM Najib

Relatives of Chinese passengers on the missing flight screamed, cried and collapsed on the ground after Najib announced the jet ended its journey in the remote Southern Indian Ocean.

Grieving Chinese relatives of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 leave on a stretcher after being told of their deaths at the Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing

A medical personnel carries first aid kits as he walks towards a room where family members of passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 stay, at the Lido hotel in Beijing

A family member of a passenger aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 falls down an escalator as he cries in Beijing

Grieving Chinese relatives of passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 console each other after being told of their deaths at the Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing

Medical personnel transport a family member of a passenger aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 who collapsed after watching a television broadcast of a news conference, at the Lido hotel in Beijing

Tears and cries of inconsolable pain and loss echoed from a Beijing hotel ballroom as the relatives of MH370 passengers learned the news: their loved ones were dead.

Some clung on to other family members for crumbs of comfort as they left the room where they were told the Malaysia Airlines flight had ended, incontestably, in the remote southern Indian Ocean.

Tight security was deployed at the hotel and security guards had quickly shut all glass doors at the hotel entrance to protect the privacy of the grieving families.

Several relatives were weak-kneed and had to be supported by others as they tried to evade the multitude of cameras.

"You still want to take our photos? We have lost our loved ones!" yelled a family member.

Family members of passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 cry after watching a television broadcast of a news conference, in the Lido hotel in Beijing

Relatives of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 pray at a praying room at Lido Hotel in Beijing

Relatives of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 pray at a praying room at Lido Hotel in Beijing

Wen Wancheng (L), whose son was on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, speaks to the media after relatives met again with airline officials at the Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing on March 23, 2014.

Wen Wancheng (L), whose son was on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, speaks to the media after relatives met again with airline officials at the Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing on March 23, 2014.

Malaysia said on March 23 it had received new satellite images from France showing floating objects in the main search area for a missing Malaysian jet in the Indian Ocean.

Chinese relatives of passengers from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 leave after another meeting with airline officials at the Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing on March 23, 2014.

Chinese relatives of passengers from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 leave after another meeting with airline officials at the Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing on March 23, 2014.

Special envoy to China, Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting (in pink shirt) addresses next-of-kin of Chinese passengers aboard MH370 on March 23.

Family members of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 shout to protest against the lack of new information after a routine briefing by Malaysia in Beijing

A screen shows questions from family members of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 after routine briefing in Beijing

A family member of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 raises his fist as he shouts slogans to protest against the lack of new information after a routine briefing

Malaysia's government and military representatives attend a routine briefing about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in Beijing

A Chinese woman who is a relative of a passenger from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, carries her three-year-old daughter as she arrives at Metro Park Lido Hotel in Beijing

A Chinese relative of a passenger from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 wears a t'shirt calling for prayers

A family member of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 attends a routine briefing in Beijing

Chinese relatives of passengers from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 walk past a message board for their loved ones as they leave the lounge in the Metro Park Lido Hotel

An emotional mother of a missing Chinese passenger on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 stormed into the media conference room at Sama-Sama Hotel, near Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

She accuses the Malaysian government of doing a half-baked job and demanding to know the whereabouts of her son.

She stormed into the press conference room together with several other family members of the missing Chinese passengers, claiming to represent some 20 family members who simply "can't wait" anymore.

Malaysian police stood guard to prevent the media from speaking to emotional family members of the Chinese passengers on board MH370, who earlier stormed into the press conference room at Sama-Sama Hotel

Several emotional family members of the Chinese passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 were locked in a media secretariat room, after they stormed into the press conference room in Sama-Sama Hotel unexpectedly.

Chinese family members of missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 passenger, are escorted away from the media outside the media conference area at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport

A relative of a passenger onboard the missing flight MH370 asks questions to officials from Malaysia Airlines during the company's briefing to family members at a hotel in Beijing

Relatives of passengers onboard missing flight MH370 complain to an official from Malaysia Airlines after the company's briefing to family members at a hotel in Beijing

A relative of a passenger onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 writes a message on a whiteboard at a hotel in Beijing

The message on the board reads, "For our families: hunger protest, give back our families, we need the truth."

Family members of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vote during a meeting with the airline's representatives at Lido Hotel in Beijing

A relative of a passenger onboard the missing flight MH370 shows a paper holding the slogans of the demanding from the family members at a hotel in Beijing

A member of a passenger onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 shouts at Malaysian Airlines officials in Beijing

Family members of a passenger onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 react as they listen to a briefing from the airline company at a hotel in Beijing

Family members of passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 watch Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak speak on a television screen at a hotel in Beijing

Family members of passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 check news on a mobile phone at a hotel in Beijing

Family members of passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 react as they watch Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak speak on a television screen at a hotel in Beijing

A family member of a passenger aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 rests on chairs as relatives continue to wait for news at a hotel in Beijing

Family members of passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 sit on chairs as they wait for news at a hotel in Beijin

A family member of a passenger onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 talks to reporters outside a room at a hotel in Beijing