Summary
A federal judge in Texas decided that Boeing will not face criminal charges over the two crashes involving its 737 Max planes, which killed 346 people. Instead, Boeing will pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion for fines, crash victim compensation, and safety measures. This decision follows an agreement with the U.S. government after Boeing was accused of misleading regulators about the plane's flight-control system.
Key Facts
- Boeing won't face criminal charges for the crashes of its 737 Max planes.
- The crashes killed a total of 346 people in 2018 and 2019.
- A judge in Texas approved an agreement that involves Boeing paying $1.1 billion.
- This money will fund fines, compensation for victims’ families, and safety improvements.
- Prosecutors said Boeing misled government regulators about flight-control software.
- The software involved has been blamed for contributing to the crashes.
- Relatives of some victims wanted the case to go to trial instead of accepting the agreement.
- Boeing started flying the 737 Max in 2017; the planes were grounded globally for 20 months after the second crash.
