The U.S. Department of Justice should bring criminal charges against Boeing, prosecutors have recommended, related to a claim that the aircraft manufacturer had violated a settlement in relation to two crashes that killed a total of 346 people in its 737 Max aircraft. Boeing denies that it violated the settlement.
The recommendation does not mean that the Justice Department will bring charges, and it has until July 7 to make the final decision. The two plane crashes occurred within six months of each other, one on Indonesia’s Lion Air in October 2018 and one on Ethiopian Airlines in March 2019. Victims of the relatives last week encourages prosecutors to fine Boeing $25 billion and seek a criminal prosecution.
“This is a really critical decision that is coming up,” said Ed Pierson, executive director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former senior manager at Boeing. “There are issues with these aeroplanes. We’re seeing problems with these planes and I’m talking about 737 Max, 787 and it is reflective of the leadership.”
