The family of Shikha Garg, a Nairobi-based United Nations environmental expert, is set to receive at least Ksh3.6 billion (USD 36.85 million) following a U.S. federal court ruling over the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing Flight 302 crash.
Garg, 32, was among 157 passengers who died when the Boeing 737 MAX went down shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa, heading to Nairobi. Her family initially won more than Ksh3.6 billion (USD 28 million) from a Chicago jury. The settlement now includes interest, bringing the total to about Ksh4.6 billion (USD 35.85 million). Boeing has agreed not to appeal the verdict.
A Boeing spokesperson expressed remorse, saying the company respects families’ rights to pursue claims in court, even as most claims were settled out of court.
The 2019 crash came five months after the 2018 Lion Air disaster, when another 737 MAX 8 crashed in Indonesia, killing 189 people. Together, the two crashes claimed 346 lives and triggered global scrutiny of the airline company’s safety standards.
Garg’s lawyers described the court ruling as an important step in holding Boeing accountable. They argued the aircraft was defectively designed and that the company failed to warn passengers about potential risks.
The airline company attributed the crash to a failure in the MCAS flight control system, which malfunctioned during the flight.
The company has settled with over 90% of plaintiffs in MAX-related cases and is also negotiating a Department of Justice criminal investigation settlement.
In a separate case, Paul Njoroge, who lost his wife, three children, and mother-in-law in the same crash, also reached a confidential settlement with Boeing.
By Vivian K.