Post by : Badri Ariffin

A Chicago jury has awarded $29 million in damages to the family of Michael “Mick” Ryan, an Irish-born United Nations employee who died in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash, according to a US court spokesman.

Ryan was among 157 people killed when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in March 2019. The civil case was brought against Boeing by his widow, Naoise Connolly Ryan.

Michael Ryan Worked With UN World Food Programme

Ryan was a 39-year-old engineer with the United Nations World Food Programme at the time of the crash. During his career, he worked in several countries and humanitarian operations.

His work included supporting the response to the Ebola crisis in Liberia and working with Rohingya refugees. A UN memorial page also recognized his work in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Ethiopia.

One of the Final Boeing MAX Civil Cases

The case is among the final remaining civil lawsuits against Boeing linked to the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The two accidents together killed 346 people. Most of the civil claims connected to the crashes have been resolved through settlements reached outside court, with the financial terms generally not disclosed.

Ryan’s attorney, Steven Marks, had previously said that his client was determined to pursue accountability and justice through a jury rather than accept a direct payment from Boeing.

Boeing Acknowledged Anti-Stall Software Role

Boeing has apologized for the two crashes and acknowledged that its anti-stall software was implicated in both accidents.

The company had not immediately responded to a request for comment following Wednesday’s verdict.

Previous $49.5 Million Award in Ethiopian Airlines Crash

The latest verdict follows another major jury award involving the same Ethiopian Airlines crash.

In May, a Chicago jury awarded $49.5 million in damages to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American who was also killed aboard the Ethiopian Airlines flight.

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