PanamaTimes

Thursday, Apr 25, 2024

Boeing 737 Crashes: US Reportedly Opens $500 Million Victim Compensation Fund

Boeing 737 Crashes: US Reportedly Opens $500 Million Victim Compensation Fund

Earlier this year, the Boeing Company entered into an agreement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to resolve a criminal charge alleging the aerospace company conspired to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Evaluation Group (FAA AEG) during the evaluation of the Boeing 737 MAX airplane.

Families of the 346 individuals killed in the twin crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 will be awarded a portion of a $500 million compensation fund, according to claim administrators Ken Feinberg and Camile Biros, who recently spoke with Reuters.

The families will have until October 15 to complete and file their claim forms. Per the claim administrators, some $1.45 million has been designated to go toward the families.

The $500 million fund comes as part of a January resolution between Boeing and the DoJ. As part of the deal, Boeing agreed to pay a criminal monetary amount that, in total, exceeded $2.5 billion.

While $500 million was designated for the families of the 346 crash victims, some $1.77 billion was earmarked for compensation payments to Boeing's 737 MAX airline customers.

David P. Burns, then-acting Assistant Attorney General of the DoJ's Criminal Division, asserted in January that the twin 737 MAX crashes "exposed fraudulent and deceptive conduct by employees of one of the world’s leading commercial airplane manufacturers."

"Boeing’s employees chose the path of profit over candor by concealing material information from the FAA concerning the operation of its 737 Max airplane and engaging in an effort to cover up their deception," he added. "This resolution holds Boeing accountable for its employees’ criminal misconduct, addresses the financial impact to Boeing’s airline customers, and hopefully provides some measure of compensation to the crash-victims’ families and beneficiaries."

A Boeing 737 MAX 8 sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington


The referenced crashes have ultimately been linked to the 737 MAX's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, which serves as a flight control system designed to enhance the jet's pitch stability so that it feels and flies like other 737s.

Additionally, a December report from the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation alleged that employees of both Boeing and the FAA worked together to manipulate recertification tests of the Boeing 737 MAX after the fatal crashes.

The committee contended that the report found "a number of significant examples of lapses in aviation safety oversight and failed leadership in the FAA."

With Boeing's 737 MAX back in the skies, the aerospace company is now looking to get a new jet, the Boeing 737 MAX 10, into the skies. The aircraft, which completed its maiden flight on Friday, is the largest jet in the 737 MAX family, and promises cleaner engines and better fuel efficiency for airlines.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×