Boeing 737 MAX Crash: Jury Awards $29 Million to Family of Irish UN Employee

A Chicago jury has awarded $29 million (€25 million) in damages to the family of Micheál Ryan, an Irish-born United Nations employee who perished in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash. The verdict comes after a civil suit filed by Ryan's widow, Naoise Connolly Ryan, against the aircraft manufacturer.

Mr. Ryan, originally from Clare, was among the 157 people killed when the 737 MAX aircraft went down. His UN memorial page highlighted his extensive humanitarian work, including efforts during the Ebola crisis in Liberia and his service with Rohingya refugees. His career also saw him working in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Ethiopia. At the time of the crash, Mr. Ryan was 39 years old.

This case represents one of the final outstanding civil lawsuits against Boeing concerning the two fatal MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which collectively resulted in 346 fatalities. While most claims have been settled out of court under undisclosed terms, Ms. Ryan's attorney, Steven Marks, stated his client was determined to seek accountability and justice through a jury verdict, rather than accepting a direct settlement from Boeing. Boeing has previously apologized for the crashes, acknowledging that its anti-stall software played a role in both incidents. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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committed to seeking accountability and justice from a jury and not accepting money from Boeing directly