Boeing crash victims' relatives call for accountability, urge company to confront consequences.
The Justice Department is meeting with the families of 346 people who were killed in two separate Boeing crashes on Wednesday.
Boeing has been under increasing criticism due to a series of incidents, including a blown-out door plug on an Alaska Airlines plane earlier this year, which resulted in fatalities.
In 2019, a Boeing crash resulted in the death of a daughter, and the mother is now demanding accountability from the aircraft manufacturer for those killed in at least two separate crashes.
"Personal accountability is crucial for the executives who made these decisions, and they should be prosecuted individually to bring about behavior change at Boeing, as Nadia Milleron stated on "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department will meet with Milleron and the families of 346 individuals who were killed in Boeing crashes as per the Crime Victims' Rights Act requirements.
In October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea near Indonesia, killing all 189 passengers and crew on board. Then, in March 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed, killing all 157 passengers and crew on board.
On March 13, 2019, the 737 Max was officially grounded in the U.S., and the DOJ launched an investigation into Boeing on behalf of the families.
The Justice Department reached a deferred prosecution agreement with Boeing during the investigation.
Ike Riffel, the father of two sons who died in the 2019 Ethiopia crash, referred to the agreement as "a big corporate probation." He stated that he was "very angry" about the agreement.
"A backroom deal was made in Texas, which we found puzzling. Boeing does not have a presence in Texas. We were informed as families that there was no criminal investigation into Boeing. Suddenly, we learned about a deferred prosecution agreement from the newspapers."
If Boeing complied with the agreement's conditions for three years, no charges would be filed against the company or its executives, according to the deferred prosecution agreement.
"According to Milleron, Boeing did not behave well. The blowout in the Alaska Airlines flight occurred days before the agreement was set to expire. As a result, we are presenting all the evidence, including the complaints by pilots about malfunctions in the new planes they are flying. There are many other warning bells, in addition to the blowout, that indicate problems with the new planes. These warning bells are even more numerous than before our crashes."
Riffel expressed his doubt that the talks with DOJ officials would yield any results as the families prepared to meet.
"This case is likely a mere formality for the DOJ, as we were deemed crime victims and therefore have the right to challenge it. In my opinion, it's simply a showcase for the DOJ to demonstrate to judges that they have spoken with us," he stated.
Both Riffel and Milleron agreed that the talks are a step forward, but they are still fighting for justice and trying to reveal the truth about Boeing's role in the deadly crashes and other dangerous incidents.
"Riffel stated that the true objective of their fight is justice. Despite the big prosecution agreement concealing the truth, they will persist until they uncover it. The struggle has been arduous, and it is likely to continue, but they will remain steadfast in their pursuit of justice."
Milleron is also expanding her efforts to hold companies like Boeing accountable by running for Congress as an Independent candidate in Massachusetts.
"I want to safeguard ordinary individuals from such abuses because our system and country are not designed to function this way. Manufacturers should produce excellent products, and they can do so, but we must not let them exploit the system we have in place."
This report was contributed to by Haley Chi-Sing from Planet Chronicle, Taylor Penley, and Lucas Manfredi from FOX Business.
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