Survivors furious

Crashes: Next Boeing settlement moves closer

A Boeing aircraft crashed in Ethiopia in 2019.

(Bild: AP/Mulugeta Ayene)

The US Department of Justice is in favor of a settlement with Boeing in the 737 MAX crisis that cost hundreds of lives. The deal obliges the company to accept the maximum legal penalty. However, this may not be enough for survivors.

"The settlement is a strong and important solution that holds Boeing accountable and serves the public interest," the ministry said in a court document on Wednesday.

The deal requires Boeing to accept the maximum statutory penalty of 487.2 million dollars (442.15 million euros), in addition to the billions the company has already paid as part of a 2021 settlement and ongoing civil lawsuits. The settlement also provides "no immunity for other misconduct, including the Alaska Airlines incident."

Surviving relatives insist on harsh punishment
Relatives of the 346 people killed in the two 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019 had previously called for the settlement to be rejected and for a significantly higher penalty. Boeing did not initially respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Boeing had agreed last month to a settlement to plead guilty to one count of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud after the company violated a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.

Knowingly made false statements
The US Department of Justice said Boeing knowingly made false statements to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about key software on the 737 MAX. However, it could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Boeing's fraud directly and immediately led to the 737 MAX crashes.

The Justice Department is currently conducting a separate criminal investigation into the January 5 incident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, in which part of the cabin wall broke out shortly after takeoff due to missing bolts.