Fifteen Kenyan families who lost their kin in the Ethiopian air crash have rejected Boeing’s offer of KSh10billion for an out-of-court compensation, for them to withdraw suits filed in the US.
Boeing announced the offer on Tuesday, for the compensation of victims’ families affected by crashes involving two of its 737 Max jets in Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Lawyers representing the families, led by senior counsel Stephen Gachie, said they will proceed with the case to its logical conclusion to ensure that families affected get justice and the punitive damages they are seeking.
“Those whom we represent in totality have rejected the settlement terms, and the idea is to go for trial because once you go for trial, that’s when the statement will be made for purposes of the changes we are foreseeing in the aviation industry,” he stated.
Gachie said the fact that Boeing is giving the offer means that they are admitting of having committed mistakes in the manufacturing of the 737 Max 8 aircraft that crashed in March 10, killing 157 people –including 32 Kenyans.
A Lion airplane that fell in Indonesia last October was also linked to faulty sensor data triggering an automated anti-stall system in the 737 Max 8 which directs the plane sharply downwards.
Muranga Senator Irungu Kangata who is also one of the lawyers representing the victims’ families said the case is critical in getting a closure of what happened, besides seeking compensation.
“We foresee a situation where historic verdicts will be rendered by the courts. The reason why this case is of huge impact is because it’s going to change the history of aviation industry, it’s going to make people who make planes more responsible so that whenever you are traveling you don’t fear that maybe the manufacturer has done something which is wrong and therefore it’s a moment that the entire world is watching,” said Kangata.
The lawyers expect the case to take not more than two years.
Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the company, and the families of the victims are requesting millions of dollars in damages.
