A Chicago jury has ruled that Boeing must pay KSh 3.75 billion (USD 29 million) in damages to Naoise Connolly Ryan, widow of Michael Ryan, an Irish engineer who died in the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crash in 2019.
Michael Ryan, originally from County Clare, Ireland, was a United Nations World Food Programme engineer with a distinguished career delivering humanitarian projects in fragile regions including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia, and Bangladesh. His work notably included building shelters for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and medical centres during Liberia’s Ebola outbreak.
Details of the Crash
Flight ET302 took off from Addis Ababa on 10 March 2019, heading to Nairobi. Six minutes after departure, the Boeing 737 Max crashed near Bishoftu, killing all 157 passengers and crew on board. Investigations revealed that faulty sensors caused the aircraft’s automated system to repeatedly push the nose down, overpowering the pilots’ attempts to regain control.
Legal Pursuit and Verdict
Naoise Connolly Ryan declined an out-of-court settlement and pursued legal action against Boeing. Her attorney, Steven C. Marks, praised her determination and described the verdict as a key step towards accountability. Boeing expressed condolences to all affected families and acknowledged their right to seek justice through the courts.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about Boeing’s 737 Max safety issues, which were implicated in this and a previous fatal crash involving Lion Air.
