This archive report was first published on 19 July 2019.
July 19, 2019, marked a somber day for Paul Njoroge, a Kenyan man who lost his entire family in the March 2019 crash of a Boeing 737 Max in Ethiopia. In a heart-wrenching testimony before the US Congress, Njoroge expressed his deep sorrow and anger towards Boeing, the US manufacturer of the aircraft.
Njoroge's family, including his Canadian wife, three small children, and his mother-in-law, were among the 157 people who lost their lives in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8. In his emotionally charged testimony, Njoroge described the pain of losing his loved ones and the trauma he continues to experience.
“I miss their laughter, their playfulness, their touch,” Njoroge read from his written testimony. “I am empty. I feel that I should have been on that plane with them. My life has no meaning. It is difficult for me to think of anything else but the horror they must have felt.”
Njoroge slammed Boeing for its handling of the crisis, accusing the company of never apologizing personally and instead relying on publicity stunts. He also criticized Boeing's efforts to shift the focus from the root cause of the crashes – the design flaws in the 737 Max and MCAS – to blaming foreign pilot error.
“Boeing has never reached out to families about the impossible sorrow and grief we will carry for our entire lives. The airlines just sent letters of sympathy acknowledging their mistakes but didn’t send their apologies,” Njoroge said.
He urged the House panel to question Boeing officials, engineers, and whistleblowers, warning that if Boeing's wrongful conduct continues, another similar accident will occur, claiming more lives. “Boeing shouldn’t be allowed to hide information from the public and their pilots. They shouldn’t conceal any information,” Njoroge said.
Boeing responded to Njoroge's charges, stating that it is “deeply sorry for the impact to the families and loved ones of those on board.” However, Njoroge's testimony highlighted the need for greater accountability from Boeing and the aviation industry as a whole.
