CHICAGO— A Chicago jury has awarded US$29 million in damages to the family of Michael “Mick” Ryan, an Irish-born United Nations employee who died in the 2019 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX.
The verdict adds to a series of civil cases against Boeing linked to the two fatal 737 MAX crashes that claimed 346 lives.
Ryan was among 157 people killed when Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Flight 302 crashed shortly after departing Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 10, 2019.
His widow, Naoise Connolly Ryan, brought the civil case against Boeing and pursued a jury verdict rather than accepting a direct settlement from the aircraft manufacturer.
$29M Boeing Verdict Shakes Company
The Chicago jury’s US$29 million award provides damages to Ryan’s family following his death at the age of 39. He worked as an engineer with the United Nations World Food Programme and had spent his career supporting humanitarian operations in several countries.
Ryan’s professional work included assignments during the Ebola crisis in Liberia and work with Rohingya refugees.
A United Nations memorial also recognized his contributions in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Ethiopia, highlighting the international scope of his humanitarian service.
Attorney Steven Marks represented Naoise Ryan in the case. He had previously described his client as committed to seeking accountability and justice through a jury rather than accepting money directly from Boeing.
The verdict therefore represents one of the relatively few Boeing 737 MAX crash cases to reach a jury after most claims connected to the disasters were resolved through settlements.
2019 MAX Crash Family Compensation
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 was operating from Addis Ababa to Nairobi when the Boeing 737 MAX crashed in Ethiopia, killing everyone aboard. The accident followed the October 2018 Lion Air 737 MAX crash in Indonesia, which killed 189 people.
Together, the two crashes killed 346 passengers and crew and triggered a global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX.
Investigations identified Boeing’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, as a major factor in both accidents.
Boeing has apologized for the crashes and acknowledged the role of the anti-stall software in the accidents. The company did not immediately provide a response to the latest US$29 million jury verdict.
More MAX Lawsuits Move Forward
The Ryan case is among the remaining civil lawsuits involving families of passengers killed in the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes. Most of the related claims have been settled outside court, with financial terms generally kept confidential.
The latest verdict follows another significant Chicago jury decision involving the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
In May, a jury awarded US$49.5 million to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American who died aboard Flight 302.
That award included compensation for Stumo’s suffering as well as her family’s loss of companionship and grief.
The separate verdicts show that some families have continued to pursue courtroom decisions even as Boeing has resolved the majority of claims through settlements, CP24 reported.
For Ryan’s family, the US$29 million judgment marks another legal step in a case that has remained focused on accountability following the loss of a humanitarian worker who spent his career serving communities affected by crises.
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