{"id":20125,"date":"2025-07-13T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T14:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/?p=20125"},"modified":"2025-07-13T10:00:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T14:00:03","slug":"boeing-settles-with-family-of-ethiopia-737-max-crash-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/new-york\/2025\/07\/13\/boeing-settles-with-family-of-ethiopia-737-max-crash-victims\/","title":{"rendered":"Boeing Settles With Family of Ethiopia 737 Max Crash Victims"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Settlement<\/h2>\n

Boeing reached a settlement Friday with a Canadian man whose wife and three children were killed in a deadly 2019 crash in Ethiopia, averting the first trial connected to a devastating event that led to a worldwide grounding of Max jets.
\n<\/p>\n

The Crash and Its Aftermath<\/h2>\n

The jury trial at Chicago\u2019s federal court had been set to start Monday to determine damages for Paul Njoroge of Canada. His family was heading to their native Kenya in March 2019 aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 when it malfunctioned and plummeted to the ground. The wreck killed all 157 people on board.<\/p>\n

Impact on the Family<\/h2>\n

Njoroge, 41, had planned to testify about how the crash affected his life. He has been unable to return to his family home in Toronto because the memories are too painful. He hasn\u2019t been able to find a job. And he has weathered criticism from relatives for not traveling alongside his wife and children.<\/p>\n

Emotional Toll<\/h2>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got complicated grief and sorrow and his own emotional stress,\u201d said Njoroge\u2019s attorney, Robert Clifford. \u201cHe\u2019s haunted by nightmares and the loss of his wife and children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Settlement Details<\/h2>\n

Terms of the deal were not disclosed publicly. Clifford said his client intended to seek \u201cmillions\u201d in damages on behalf of his wife and children, but declined to publicly specify an amount ahead of the trial.<\/p>\n

Preparation for Trial<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe aviation team at Clifford Law Offices has been working round-the-clock in preparation for trial, but the mediator was able to help the parties come to an agreement,\u201d Clifford said in a statement Friday.
\nA Boeing spokesperson said via email Friday that the company had no comment.<\/p>\n

Background on the Crashes<\/h2>\n

The proceedings were not expected to delve into technicalities involving the Max version of Boeing\u2019s bestselling 737 airplane, which has been the source of persistent troubles for the company since the Ethiopia crash and one the year before in Indonesia. A combined 346 people, including passengers and crew members, died in those crashes.<\/p>\n

Previous Agreements<\/h2>\n

In 2021, Chicago-based Boeing accepted responsibility for the Ethiopia crash in a deal with the victims\u2019 families that allowed them to pursue individual claims in U.S. courts instead of their home countries. Citizens of 35 countries were killed. Several families of victims have already settled. Terms of those agreements also were not made public.<\/p>\n

Cause of the Crashes<\/h2>\n

Investigators determined the Ethiopia and Indonesia crashes were caused by a system that relied on a sensor that provided faulty readings and pushed the plane noses down, leaving pilots unable to regain control. After the Ethiopia crash, Max jets were grounded worldwide until the company redesigned the system.<\/p>\n

Recent Developments<\/h2>\n

This year, Boeing reached a deal with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid criminal prosecutions in both crashes.<\/p>\n

Victims of the Crash<\/h2>\n

Among those killed were Njoroge\u2019s wife, Carolyne, and three small children, Ryan, age 6, Kellie, 4, and Rubi, 9 months old, the youngest to die on the plane. Njoroge also lost his mother-in-law, whose family has a separate case.<\/p>\n

Personal Loss<\/h2>\n

Njoroge, who met his wife in college in Nairobi, was living in Canada at the time of the crash. He had planned to join his family in Kenya later.<\/p>\n

Testimony<\/h2>\n

He testified before Congress in 2019 about repeatedly imagining how his family suffered during the flight, which lasted only six minutes. He has pictured his wife struggling to hold their infant in her lap with two other children seated nearby.<\/p>\n

Emotional Pain<\/h2>\n

\u201cI stay up nights thinking of the horror that they must have endured,\u201d Njoroge said. \u201cThe six minutes will forever be embedded in my mind. I was not there to help them. I couldn\u2019t save them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The settlement between Boeing and Paul Njoroge brings some closure to the tragic events surrounding the Ethiopia 737 Max crash. However, the pain and suffering of the families affected will linger, serving as a reminder of the importance of aviation safety and accountability.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n