Michael Ryan: Family of Irish plane crash victim awarded $29m in damages

The widow of an Irish United Nations employee, who died in 2019 following a Boeing 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia has been awarded $29m (£21.5m) in damages.

A jury in Chicago in the United States awarded the sum to Michael ‘Mick’ Ryan’s family after his widow Naoise Connolly Ryan brought a civil suit against Boeing.

Her lawyers have said the verdict “represents an important measure of accountability and justice”.

Michael Ryan, a father of two living in Cork but originally from County Clare, was among the 157 people killed on board the Ethiopian Airlines plane.

He had worked as an engineer with the United Nations World Food Programme.

Lawyer Steven C Marks, who represented Ryan’s widow, said: “While no financial award can ever replace a life or undo the profound loss his family has endured, we are grateful that the jury carefully considered the evidence and reached this decision.”

Marks said that Connolly Ryan has “pursued justice for Mick with extraordinary strength and determination” and his firm Podhurst Orseck have been “honored to stand beside her in her unwavering pursuit to hold Boeing accountable”.

“Although the verdict marks a significant milestone, the broader effort to hold Boeing responsible for this tragedy, and to help prevent anything like it from happening again, is just as important,” he added.

BBC News NI has contacted Boeing for comment.