32 Kenyan Families to Receive Sh353 Million Each in Boeing Compensation

Nearly seven years after the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, 32 Kenyan families are set to receive fresh compensation from Boeing of $2.73 million (about Sh353 million) each.

The new settlements total $87.36 million (Sh11.3 billion) for Kenyan claimants. Including earlier settlements, the families’ total compensation is estimated at Sh17.3 billion. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed on 10 March 2019, six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. Kenya recorded the highest number of victims among the 30 nationalities involved.

Investigators found that a faulty sensor triggered the Boeing 737 MAX 8’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which repeatedly pushed the aircraft’s nose down despite efforts by the pilots to regain control. The crash followed the Lion Air 737 MAX disaster in Indonesia several months earlier.

The two accidents led to the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX and prompted major changes to pilot training and aircraft certification. The latest settlements stem from proceedings in US federal courts in Chicago, where the families brought claims under product liability laws. Their cases were strengthened by allegations that Boeing had misled regulators about the MCAS system.

The allegations also prompted the US Department of Justice to revisit an earlier non-prosecution agreement with Boeing. Under the resulting arrangements, Boeing was required to contribute to a global victim compensation fund and implement significant compliance reforms. The company has also committed an additional $455 million (Sh59 billion) to safety improvements and the appointment of an independent compliance monitor.

Chicago-based Ribbeck Law Chartered, which represents families from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the United States, confirmed that the latest payments are being distributed. The law firm recently secured a separate $29 million (Sh3.8 billion) settlement for an Irish family.

Earlier proceedings resulted in Boeing committing $2.5 billion (Sh324 billion) under a Deferred Prosecution Agreement reached in 2021. The agreement included fines, reimbursements to airlines and an initial fund for victims.

For the Kenyan families, the latest payments bring an end to a lengthy legal process. Although the compensation cannot reverse the loss of their loved ones, the settlements provide financial recognition of the claims brought against Boeing.

The Kenyan claims were pursued through US courts, where the families sought compensation under the legal framework governing Boeing. The Flight 302 crash remains a major event in aviation safety. Alongside the earlier Lion Air disaster, it led to changes in aircraft certification, pilot training and the operation of the Boeing 737 MAX.