On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed, killing 157 people on board and subsequently sparked a crisis that almost turned Boeing on its head.
After years in the courtroom, the families of victims whose lives were claimed in the ill-fated Boeing 737MAX crash have started receiving monetary compensation marking an end to the criminal case.
In total, 346 lives were claimed by failures resulting from the MAX’s infamous MCAS with the crash of Lion Air JT610 coming less than 6 months before ET302
$500 Million will be dispersed to the victims’ families after US Department of Justice also charged the Boeing Company with conspiracy to defraud the United States. It was concluded that Boeing knowing misled regulators during aircraft certification and as such was culpable in the loss of lives
“There is no money in the world that will bring their relatives back. But atleast it will help avoid the consequent economic hardships.” Said Manuel von Ribbeck of Ribbeck Law Chartered who represented most of the victims’ families
“For most of our clients, this puts an end to the civil and criminal cases filed against Boeing after the tragic crashes of Lion Air JT610 on October 29, 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines ET302 on March 10, 2019” Mr Ribbeck remarked
It is expected that Boeing will additionally pay up to USD 1 Billion to the victims’ families as settlement in a civil court case against the aircraft manufacturer
According to Ms. Monica Kelly of Ribbeck Law Chartered, Boeing entered into a deferred prosecution agreement after the United States government concluded that “the misleading statements, half-truths, and omissions communicated by Boeing employees to the FAA impeded the government’s ability to ensure the safety of the flying public.” A “key document published by the FAA, AEG lacked information about MCAS, and in turn, airplane manuals and pilot-training materials for U.S.-based airlines lacked information about MCAS.”
Photo: fighterjetsworld
