A US jury has ruled that Boeing must pay $29 million to the family of Michael Ryan, an Irish United Nations employee who died in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash. Ryan, originally from Clare but based in Cork, had relocated to Rome for work with the World Food Programme. The verdict was reached in a civil case filed by his family, which alleges the aircraft manufacturer failed to address safety concerns related to the Boeing 737 MAX model.
The crash, which occurred on March 10, 2019, killed 157 people, including Ryan. The jury in Chicago found Boeing liable for damages, though the company has previously faced similar lawsuits over the same aircraft model. Two other cases related to the 737 MAX crashes remain unresolved.
The ruling highlights ongoing legal battles over the safety of the 737 MAX, which was grounded globally following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. The decision underscores the impact of the accidents on families and the broader scrutiny of aviation safety protocols.
