Victims’ families call for U.S. prosecution in fatal Boeing crash By Reuters

Mike Spector and David Shepardson

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Families of victims of two Boeing (NYSE:) 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 have told U.S. Justice Department officials that the plane’s safety and safety have been exposed after an explosion on board in January. Pressure is expected Wednesday to bring criminal charges against the manufacturer. Quality problem.

Relatives and lawyers are expected to argue that Boeing violated a 2021 agreement it signed with prosecutors to overhaul its compliance program after the crash that killed 346 people. Federal prosecutors agreed to ask a judge to dismiss criminal charges against Boeing as long as the company complies with the terms of the contract for three years.

But on Jan. 5, just two days before the contract expires in 2021, a panelist blew up a new Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet during an Alaska Airlines flight. Justice Department officials are now evaluating the case as part of a broader investigation into whether Boeing violated the deal, known as the deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

“What we’re saying to the Department of Justice is to scrap the DPA,” said Nadia Milleron, whose daughter Samya Stumo was killed while traveling on an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 that crashed in March 2019. said. To Yourself: This is too much of a responsibility.”

The families argue that an independent monitor is needed to ensure Boeing is complying with its contracts. Boeing’s deal had no such requirement, unlike some past contracts with other companies.

Prime Minister Milleron said, “If there had been an external observer, the Alaska incident would not have occurred.”

Boeing and the Justice Department declined to comment.

In January 2021, Boeing agreed to pay $2.5 billion to resolve a criminal investigation into the company’s conduct related to the crash. The U.S. airplane manufacturer agreed to compensate victims’ relatives and overhaul its compliance practices as part of a deal with prosecutors.

In a meeting with the family’s lawyers in April, Justice Department officials said they were reviewing circumstances outlined in the 2021 contract, including whether Boeing committed a felony or misled U.S. officials. People familiar with the matter said:

Under the agreement, U.S. officials have six months from the contract’s expiration date of Jan. 7 to decide whether to prosecute Boeing on charges that it conspired to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration or explore another alternative, which would be to dismiss the case. there is.

One of the officials said officials plan to do so within that timeframe while the investigation into the Jan. 5 explosion on board continues, which could inform their decision. The people spoke on condition of anonymity.

Prosecutors are expected to rely heavily on the FAA’s findings, an official previously told Reuters.

For example, the FAA is investigating claims by Boeing engineers that the company ignored safety and quality issues in production of the planemaker’s 787 and 777 jets. At a congressional hearing last week, the engineer testified that Boeing ignored him when he raised his concerns. Reuters has not independently verified his claims, which are disputed by Boeing.