Boeing pledges $100 million for families and communities hit by the two 737 MAX crashes


Boeing said on Wednesday, 3 July 2019, that it would give $100 million, about 10 billion Kenyan shillings, to organizations helping families affected by the crashes of its 737 MAX jets in Indonesia and Ethiopia, Kenya’s The Star reported, citing Reuters. The two crashes killed 346 people, among them the 157 people aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which came down near Bishoftu on 10 March 2019.

Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 ET-AVJ, the aircraft later lost as Flight 302, taking off from Tel Aviv on 8 February 2019
Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 ET-AVJ, the aircraft later lost as Flight 302, taking off from Tel Aviv on 8 February 2019 (LLBG Spotter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0) [file photo]

“These funds will support education, hardship and living expenses for impacted families, community programs, and economic development in impacted communities,” Boeing said. “Boeing will partner with local governments and non-profit organizations to address these needs.”

A Boeing spokesman said the payments would be spread over several years and were separate from the lawsuits that families had filed after the crashes. Kenyans were the largest national group among the victims of the Ethiopian crash.

Sources: The Star (Kenya)