The family of Shikha Garg, a 32-year-old UN worker, is traveling to Nairobi to receive Ksh4.6 billion (USD35.85 million) following the tragic crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019. Garg was among the 157 passengers who lost their lives when the Boeing 737 MAX went down shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi.
The settlement follows a U.S. federal court jury initially awarding more than Ksh3.6 billion (USD28 million) to Garg’s family. With accrued interest, the total payout now stands at Ksh4.6 billion. Boeing has confirmed it will not appeal the verdict, signaling a rare moment of accountability in the wake of the disaster.
A Boeing spokesperson expressed deep condolences to the families affected. “While we have resolved the vast majority of these claims through settlements, families are also entitled to pursue their claims through damages trials in court, and we respect their right to do so,” she said.
The 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash occurred just five months after a similar tragedy in Indonesia, where Lion Air Flight 610, another 737 MAX, crashed, killing 189 people. Combined, the two incidents claimed 346 lives and raised global concerns about Boeing’s aircraft safety practices.
Garg’s lawyers argued that the Boeing 737 MAX involved in the crash was defectively designed, and Boeing failed to warn passengers of potential risks. The crashes were linked to an automated flight control system, prompting worldwide scrutiny of the manufacturer’s practices.
Boeing has reportedly settled over 90% of civil lawsuits related to the two crashes, involving billions of dollars. In a separate case in July, Paul Njoroge, who lost his wife, three children, and mother-in-law on the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, was also compensated. While the settlement amount remains confidential, it marks another step in the company addressing claims from families affected by the tragedy.
The Garg family’s settlement represents one of the largest compensations from the Ethiopian Airlines crash and underscores the ongoing accountability for aviation safety failures that cost hundreds of lives.
