Boeing is set to face a jury trial starting Monday in Chicago over the tragic 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash, marking the first civil case related to the disaster. The crash, which occurred on March 10, 2019, just six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, claimed the lives of all 157 people aboard. The plaintiffs in this case are the family members of those lost in the calamity, with two plaintiffs initially seeking justice in the lawsuit.
However, in a development just before the trial, one of the complaints was resolved in an out-of-court settlement, leaving the case to proceed with only one plaintiff, Canadian Darcy Belanger. Belanger, a 46-year-old environmental NGO founder and construction worker, was en route to Kenya for a UN conference when the disaster struck.
The trial is expected to last for two weeks, with jury selection taking place on Monday. Boeing has been embroiled in a series of lawsuits since the crash, with 155 of the victims’ relatives suing the company for wrongful death and negligence between 2019 and 2021. By late March 2024, there were still 18 open complaints against Boeing.
Boeing has publicly accepted responsibility for the design flaws in the 737 MAX’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which was implicated in both the Ethiopian Airlines and the previous Lion Air crash in October 2018. The company faced immense pressure following the disasters, including congressional hearings, a complete grounding of the 737 MAX fleet, and leadership changes.
As Boeing navigates this civil case, it is also preparing for a potential criminal trial in Texas in June, stemming from a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. The company had agreed to terms with the U.S. Justice Department over the MAX crashes, but allegations of violations in 2024, including an emergency landing incident, have led to further legal scrutiny.
This ongoing litigation underscores the lasting impact of the 737 MAX disasters and Boeing’s efforts to rebuild its reputation.
