Boeing has reached an out-of-court settlement with the family of Manisha Nukavarapu, a victim of the March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 crash. This last-minute agreement, reached just before a federal civil trial was set to begin in Chicago, avoids a proceeding that was focused only on determining compensation for the victim’s relatives. Details of the settlement remain confidential.
Nukavarapu, an Indian medical intern at East Tennessee State University, died on a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. The trial was intended to feature testimonies from her friends and family to illustrate the personal impact of her loss.
The crash was part of a larger issue with Boeing’s 737 Max 8, linked to design flaws in the MCAS anti-stall software. Boeing has acknowledged responsibility for these flaws, which also contributed to an earlier crash of a Lion Air flight in Indonesia in 2018, killing 189. Most civil claims related to the crashes have been settled, with Boeing paying multi-billion dollar compensations, including in a federal criminal case.
A separate criminal case remains active, with Boeing agreeing to a plea deal following a deferred prosecution agreement marred by quality issues. The next civil trial related to the 737 Max crashes is set for April 2025, pending potential further settlements.
