- Families of victims from two Boeing 737 Max plane crashes are calling for prosecutions and a $24.8 billion fine
- They want the US government to prosecute Boeing leaders responsible for the 2018 and 2019 crashes, which claimed 346 lives
- 2018 Lion Air flight plunged into the Java Sea, killing all 189 on board
- 2019 Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Addis Ababa, resulted in 157 deaths
Boeing crash families demand record $25bn fine
Families of victims from two Boeing 737 Max plane crashes are calling for prosecutions and a $24.8 billion fine, labelling it “the deadliest corporate crime in US history.”
Paul Cassell, the families’ lawyer, argues that this amount is “justified and clearly appropriate” considering the “enormous human costs of Boeing’s crimes.” In a 32-page letter seen by the BBC, Cassell urged the US government to prosecute Boeing leaders responsible for the 2018 and 2019 crashes, which claimed 346 lives.
During a recent Congressional hearing, Boeing’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, apologised for the grief caused by the crashes, which were linked to faulty flight control systems. The apology was met with heckling from victims’ families.
The first crash in October 2018 involved a Lion Air flight that plunged into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 on board. The second crash in March 2019 saw an Ethiopian Airlines flight crash near Addis Ababa, resulting in 157 deaths.
Calhoun acknowledged Boeing’s mistakes and the company’s retaliation against whistleblowers, pledging that lessons had been learned.
The Justice Department is currently considering reviving a 2021 criminal fraud charge against Boeing, which has remained dormant since the company admitted misleading air safety regulators and agreed to implement a new compliance system. This reconsideration follows an incident in January where a door panel flew off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight.
The Justice Department has until July 7 to decide on reviving the case.