Relatives of Indonesians killed in the 2018 Lion Air crash have condemned a proposed deal between the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Boeing, calling it a fresh example of how powerful corporations can evade criminal accountability through financial settlements and leave grieving families without closure.
The outcry came after US prosecutors filed court documents on Friday outlining a tentative agreement that would shield the American aircraft manufacturer from criminal prosecution over allegations it misled regulators about flaws in the Boeing 737 Max, the model involved in two crashes that killed 346 people.
Anton Sahadi, whose wife lost her 24-year-old cousins, Riyan Aryandi and Ravi Andrian, when Lion Air flight 610 crashed shortly after take off from Indonesia’s capital Jakarta en route to Pangkal Pinang in the Bangka-Belitung Islands, described the new deal as a disgrace.
“The DOJ decision is setting a dangerous precedent, where large companies can avoid criminal liability by paying fines, without facing legal consequences,” he told This Week in Asia. It “raises serious questions about the integrity of the criminal justice system and the protection of the victims”.
Under the proposed resolution, Boeing would avoid trial in exchange for forking out US$1.1 billion in safety improvements and US$445 million in compensation for victims’ families. The DOJ said it considered the agreement the fairest outcome under current law and policy.
