Jakarta - Boeing's apology last week for two deadly crashes
involving its 737 MAX model has emboldened a group of Indonesians
whose relatives were killed in the first crash to sue for
compensation, their lawyer said on Monday.
An Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crashed shortly after take-off on
March 10, killing all 157 people on board. The same Boeing model was
involved in a Lion Air plane crash in Indonesia in October that
killed 189 people.
In November, US law firm Colson Hicks Eidson filed a lawsuit against
Boeing on behalf of the father of one of the victims of the Lion Air
crash.
However, most of the families affected had previously chosen not to
sue, believing their chances of success were small, said Denny
Kailimang, who is representing the plaintiffs.
The chief executive of Boeing, Dennis Muilenburg, apologised on
Thursday for the lives lost in the two deadly crashes.
But he said that upcoming software updates to the plane's automated
control system will make it "among the safest airplanes ever to fly."
"The CEO's statement strengthens claims by the victims' families for
viable compensation from the plane maker," Kailimang said, since the
apology means that Boeing implicitly accepts blame.
Kailimang said his firm and its partner in the United States would be
demanding compensation for the victims' families as soon as
possible. He did not disclose the amount of compensation they would
be demanding.
"We are confused, frustrated and disappointed with the situation,"
said Merdian Agustin, whose husband was killed in the Lion Air crash.
"Our loved ones died tragically but there's still no compensation
from the airline or the aircraft producer," she told reporters.
Aviation authorities around the world grounded Boeing 737 MAX
aircraft in the wake of the Ethiopia accident and the US manufacturer
has taken a hit on the stock market.
A preliminary report has advised that the planes remain grounded for
now and recommended the company re-examine the model's flight control
system.
The report from Ethiopia's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau
said the pilots of the plane that crashed in March followed the right
procedures but were unable to stop the plane nose-diving.
The preliminary report will be closely scrutinized for similarities
to the Lion Air crash, but officials said it would be months before
the full report is released.