$29 Million Verdict for Family of Victim in Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX Crash

A US jury has ordered Boeing to pay $29 million in damages to the family of Michael 'Mick' Ryan, an Irish engineer who died in the Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 crash on March 10, 2019.

Ryan was a UN employee and father of two children, and his widow filed a civil lawsuit against Boeing after the crash that killed 157 people, including 21 UN staff members. The MCAS flight control software contributed to the crashes, which led to dozens of lawsuits against Boeing.

Boeing acknowledged its role in the crashes and withdrew its criminal liability in November 2025. This case is part of a series of litigations related to the crashes of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with only two lawsuits remaining active.