The families of victims from two Boeing 737 Max crashes are calling for prosecutions and a record fine of $24.8 billion for what they describe as “the deadliest corporate crime in US history.”
Their attorney, Paul Cassell, stated that this amount is “justified and clearly appropriate” given the “enormous human costs of Boeing’s crimes.”
In a detailed 32-page letter obtained by the BBC, Cassell urged the US government to prosecute the executives leading Boeing during the time of the two crashes in 2018 and 2019, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people.
The letter also referenced an apology made by Boeing’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, during his testimony before Congress.
“I apologise for the grief that we have caused,” he stated, amidst heckling from the victims’ families.
The crashes involved two 737 Max aircraft in similar accidents.
In October 2018, a Lion Air flight crashed into the Java Sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board.
In March 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed just minutes after departing from Addis Ababa, resulting in the deaths of all 157 passengers and crew. Both incidents were attributed to faulty flight control systems.
During his Congressional appearance, Calhoun admitted that Boeing had made significant errors and claimed the company had “learned” from its past mistakes.
He also acknowledged that Boeing had retaliated against whistleblowers but emphasized that he had “listened” to those employees.
The Justice Department is currently considering whether to revive a 2021 criminal fraud charge against Boeing related to the two crashes.
This charge has remained inactive since Boeing’s settlement, in which the company admitted to misleading air-safety regulators about certain aspects of the 737 Max and agreed to implement a new compliance system to prevent future fraud.
Last month, prosecutors found that Boeing violated the settlement when a door panel detached from a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, leaving a hole in the fuselage mid-flight.
The Justice Department has until July 7 to decide whether to reinstate the case.
In the letter, Cassell suggested that a portion of any future fine should fund the creation of an independent monitor to oversee Boeing’s safety and compliance measures.
Families of the crash victims attended the Congressional hearing, holding photos of their loved ones.
Zipporah Kuria, whose father died in the 2019 crash, traveled from England to Washington, DC, to hear Calhoun’s testimony.
“I flew from England to Washington DC to hear in person what the Boeing CEO has to say to the Senate and to the world about any safety improvements made at that corporation,” she said.
“I also continue to press the US government to hold Boeing and its corporate executives criminally responsible for the deaths of 346 people.
We will not rest until we see justice.”
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