Boeing reached an agreement with lawyers for the families of the victims of Flight 302, operated by an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 that crashed in March 2019.
Planmaker acknowledged its responsibility in the accident that killed 157 people in a document from a court in Chicago, where the company’s US headquarters are located.
Under the agreement, the victims’ lawyers managed to get Boeing to commit not to try to blame anyone for the accident, caused by problems with an aircraft’s control system, the MCAS.
“Boeing is committed to ensure that all families who lost ones in the accidents are fully and fairly compensated for their loss,” Boeing said in a statement.
“This is a significant milestone for the families in their pursuit of justice against Boeing, as it will ensure they are all treated equitably and eligible to recover full damages under Illinois law while creating a pathway for them to proceed to final resolution, whether through settlements or trial,” the lawyers said.
The agreement also includes that the lawyers will not sue the suppliers of the components involved in the problem.
After the Ethiopian jet crashed, civil aviation authorities around the world banned the 737 MAX from flying. The FAA, the US agency, however, was reluctant to acknowledge that the commercial jet had serious flaws that went undetected by regulators.
Months earlier, another 737 MAX 8 had fallen into the sea in Indonesia, but suspicions did not lead to a suspension of the aircraft’s fleet in other countries.
Only in December 2020 and after several modifications, the plane returned to revenue flights, but even today there are countries that continue to ban its operation, such as China, one of the first to land it.
