- 346 people died in two Boeing 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.
- The DoJ will meet with victims’ families as it considers a criminal investigation against Boeing.
- Boeing agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the charges in 2021, but the January blowout brought renewed attention.
Families of Boeing 737 Max crash victims will meet with Justice Department officials.
This comes as federal prosecutors weigh whether to bring criminal charges against Boeing following the Alaska Airlines explosion.
Bob Clifford, an attorney representing the families of victims of the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash, confirmed the news in an email to Business Insider.
Last month, the FBI sent letters warning passengers on the explosive flight that they could be victims of a crime.
The possibility of criminal charges against Boeing would occur alongside an investigation into whether Boeing violated the conditions of an agreement he reached with the Ministry of Justice in 2021
This came after 346 people died in two crashes involving the Max in 2018 and 2019.
The manufacturer entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Justice Department in 2021 – agreeing to pay $2.5 billion and promising to strengthen its compliance program.
But the January blowout has prosecutors questioning whether Boeing complied with all the terms of the settlement.
In its preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board said Alaska Airlines’ 737 Max left the Boeing factory without the keyed bolts designed to secure the door plug that came loose.
The DPA expired two days after the explosion and the Justice Department has until July 7 to decide whether Boeing violated it.
“The Max 8 families strongly believe that recent events, such as the Alaska Airlines door jam explosion in January, demonstrate Boeing’s lack of compliance with the DPA,” Clifford said in the email.
Paul Cassell, a University of Utah law professor who represents the victims’ families, told the Seattle Times: “The families are going to point out what I think has become pretty obvious: Boeing failed to comply seriously the obligations it had undertaken under the (agreement).”
The Seattle Times reports that the meeting will take place on April 24.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
businessinsider
