Victim’s family awarded US$29M in damages for deadly Boeing 737 MAX crash in 2019

In a recent Chicago court ruling, a jury has awarded $29 million in damages to the family of Naoise Connolly Ryan, the Irish-born United Nations employee who perished in a 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash. The lawsuit was filed by Ryan's widow, Naoise Ryan, against Boeing, claiming $29 million in damages. The tragic incident occurred during the Ethiopian Airlines flight, which resulted in the death of all 157 people on board.

Naoise Ryan, who was 39 at the time of the crash, had previously worked for the UN World Food Programme, particularly during the Ebola crisis in Liberia and supporting Rohingya refugees. Her work extended to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Ethiopia. This case is one of the last remaining civil suits against Boeing following two fatal MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which collectively claimed 346 lives.

While most claims have been settled out of court in undisclosed terms, Naoise Ryan's attorney, Steven Marks, emphasized his client's commitment to seeking accountability and justice through a jury, rather than accepting money directly from Boeing. Boeing has apologized for the crashes and acknowledged that the anti-stall software played a role in both accidents.

A separate case in May saw a Chicago jury award $49.5 million to the family of Samya Stumo, another victim of the same Ethiopian Airlines flight.