Family of Boeing 737 Max Victim Wins Rp460 Billion Compensation

A US court has awarded US$29 million (approximately Rp460 billion) in compensation to the widow of a United Nations engineer from Ireland who died in the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash. The civil lawsuit was filed by Naoise Connolly Ryan over the death of her husband, Michael ‘Mick’ Ryan, who was among the 157 victims when Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi.

Steven C. Marks, the family’s lawyer, described the verdict as a crucial symbol of accountability for the humanitarian tragedy. ‘While no financial reward can replace a life or erase the profound sense of loss felt by his family, we are grateful the jury carefully considered the evidence and reached this decision,’ Marks said. He added that while the ruling represents a significant milestone, the broader effort to hold Boeing responsible and help prevent similar tragedies remains equally important.

Before his death, Michael Ryan was known for his significant contributions to global humanitarian missions. He played a key role in building shelters that saved tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees from the threat of landslides in Bangladesh and established medical centres during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. ‘His impact was felt globally,’ Marks said of Ryan’s dedication.

In response to the verdict, Boeing expressed its condolences and respect for the legal process. ‘We are deeply sorry to all those who lost loved ones on Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302,’ a company spokesperson said. ‘While we have resolved nearly all of these claims through settlements, the families have the right to pursue their claims through the courts, and we respect their right to do so.’

Investigations found that the Ethiopian Airlines crash was triggered by a faulty angle-of-attack sensor reading. This malfunction activated the automated MCAS system, which repeatedly pushed the aircraft’s nose down until it crashed, a technical scenario identical to the fatal Lion Air JT610 crash in Indonesia.