This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
Published on August 8, 2019, a lawsuit has been filed against Boeing in the US by Kenyan families affected by the 737 Max plane crash in Ethiopia.
The crash, which occurred on March 10, 2019, killed all 157 people on board, including 32 Kenyans.
Lawyers representing the victims have alleged a civil conspiracy between Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), claiming that they colluded to authorize an unsafe aircraft for release to the market.
"This is a case of the fox guarding the hen house," said Alisa Brodkowitz. "Over the years, the FAA has given the authority to sign off planes as airworthy to manufacturers who lack the capacity or technical expertise to do so. This must change."
The Ethiopian Airlines crash was the second 737 Max plane to crash, following a Lion Air carrier that crashed off the Indonesian coast in October 2018.
While the lawyers have not disclosed the amount of compensation they will demand, they hinted at seeking a substantial amount in punitive damages.
"For a company that makes trillions of shillings in profits, if you have to punish them, then they must feel it so that they can change," said Shakespear Feyissa.
