The relatives of those killed in two incidents involving Boeing 737 Max aircraft have requested $24.8 billion in fines and punishment for "the deadliest corporate crime in US history". Paul Cassell, the families' attorney, stated that the sum was "justified and clearly appropriate" in light of the "enormous human costs of Boeing's crimes".
When 346 people died in two accidents in 2018 and 2019, Mr. Cassell stated in a 32-page letter seen by the BBC that the US government ought to bring charges against the company's executives. The letter referenced Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun's Tuesday apologies during his testimony before Congress.
He was heckled by relatives of the crash victims as he declared, "I apologise for the grief that we have caused."
Three hundred and forty-six individuals were killed in two distinct but almost identical tragedies involving 737 Max aeroplanes.
Thirteen minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, a Lion Air aircraft crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. The incident occurred in October 2018.
Six minutes after takeoff, an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, crashed in March 2019. Every person aboard, 157, perished.
Flight control system malfunction was a factor in both incidents.
During his testimony before Congress, Calhoun admitted that the firm had made errors but that it had "learned" from its history.
While acknowledging that Boeing had taken action against whistleblowers, he insisted that he had "listened" to the staff members.
The Justice Department is debating whether to reopen a fraud case against Boeing that was filed in 2021 and was connected to the two accidents.
Since the corporation admitted in a settlement that it had misled aviation safety regulators about certain components of the 737 Max and pledged to develop a new compliance system to identify and stop future fraud, the allegation has been dormant.
Prosecutors concluded this month that the settlement had been broken when, in January, a door panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max aircraft broke off, creating a massive hole in the fuselage mid-flight.
The Justice Department must make a decision on whether to reopen the matter by July 7th.
Cassell stated in the letter that his clients suggested the agency set aside a percentage of any fines in the future to establish an impartial watchdog over the business's safety and compliance protocols.
At the congressional hearing on Tuesday, relatives of those slain in the crashes attended and put up pictures of their loved ones.
Zipporah Kuria, whose father perished in the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX 8 tragedy, stated, "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."
“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.”
(Source:www.reuters.com)
When 346 people died in two accidents in 2018 and 2019, Mr. Cassell stated in a 32-page letter seen by the BBC that the US government ought to bring charges against the company's executives. The letter referenced Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun's Tuesday apologies during his testimony before Congress.
He was heckled by relatives of the crash victims as he declared, "I apologise for the grief that we have caused."
Three hundred and forty-six individuals were killed in two distinct but almost identical tragedies involving 737 Max aeroplanes.
Thirteen minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, a Lion Air aircraft crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. The incident occurred in October 2018.
Six minutes after takeoff, an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, crashed in March 2019. Every person aboard, 157, perished.
Flight control system malfunction was a factor in both incidents.
During his testimony before Congress, Calhoun admitted that the firm had made errors but that it had "learned" from its history.
While acknowledging that Boeing had taken action against whistleblowers, he insisted that he had "listened" to the staff members.
The Justice Department is debating whether to reopen a fraud case against Boeing that was filed in 2021 and was connected to the two accidents.
Since the corporation admitted in a settlement that it had misled aviation safety regulators about certain components of the 737 Max and pledged to develop a new compliance system to identify and stop future fraud, the allegation has been dormant.
Prosecutors concluded this month that the settlement had been broken when, in January, a door panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max aircraft broke off, creating a massive hole in the fuselage mid-flight.
The Justice Department must make a decision on whether to reopen the matter by July 7th.
Cassell stated in the letter that his clients suggested the agency set aside a percentage of any fines in the future to establish an impartial watchdog over the business's safety and compliance protocols.
At the congressional hearing on Tuesday, relatives of those slain in the crashes attended and put up pictures of their loved ones.
Zipporah Kuria, whose father perished in the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX 8 tragedy, stated, "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."
“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.”
(Source:www.reuters.com)
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