Boeing begins compensation payments for 737 MAX crash victims

Boeing has begun distributing compensation payments to the families of 346 people killed in two fatal 737 MAX crashes: Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in Ethiopia.

Following the completion of legal proceedings in the United States, Boeing released a total of $944 million for the victims' families. This amount combines a $500 million program from a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement and a $444.5 million fund established under a 2025 non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Among the beneficiaries are 32 Kenyan families who lost loved ones in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, which will receive a combined $87.34 million (approximately Sh11.3 billion). Investigations into both accidents identified the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) as a primary factor in the crashes. Ribbeck Law Chartered, representing numerous clients, noted that the legal process required international coordination across more than 35 countries.