Chicago Jury Awards Damages to Family of UN Engineer Michael Ryan
A Chicago jury has awarded $29 million in damages to the family of Michael “Mick” Ryan, an Irish-born United Nations employee who was killed in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash.
The civil case was brought against Boeing by Ryan’s widow, Naoise Connolly Ryan, following the disaster that killed all 157 people aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
Ryan, who was 39 at the time of his death, worked as an engineer with the United Nations World Food Programme.
He had spent years working in humanitarian operations around the world, including during the Ebola crisis in Liberia and in programmes supporting Rohingya refugees. His work had also taken him to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia and Bangladesh.
The Boeing 737 MAX crashed shortly after departing Addis Ababa for Kenya in March 2019.
The accident became one of two disasters involving the MAX aircraft that triggered a global crisis for Boeing and led to the worldwide grounding of the aircraft model.
Family Chose Jury Trial Instead of Confidential Settlement
Ryan’s case was one of the final remaining civil claims arising from the two deadly Boeing 737 MAX crashes.
The first occurred in Indonesia in October 2018 and involved Lion Air Flight 610.
Less than five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in March 2019.
Together, the two accidents killed 346 people.
Boeing has settled the vast majority of civil claims connected with the disasters, with many settlement terms remaining confidential.
However, Ryan’s family decided to take the case before a jury instead of accepting a private settlement from Boeing.
Ahead of the trial, attorney Steven Marks said Naoise Ryan was determined to seek accountability and justice through a jury verdict.
She had previously rejected voluntary compensation offered by Boeing and redirected a $1.65 million payment towards an aviation safety foundation, according to reporting on the trial.
Ryan’s widow and their two children were among the plaintiffs seeking damages.
Their daughter Saorlaith was three years old when the crash occurred, while their son MacDara was only six months old.
The proceedings focused on determining compensation for the family following Ryan’s death.
Boeing Acknowledges Role of Flight-Control Software
Boeing has apologised to families affected by both 737 MAX crashes and has acknowledged that anti-stall flight-control software was implicated in the accidents.
Investigations into the MAX crashes focused heavily on an automated flight-control system that could push the aircraft’s nose downward based on information from sensors.
In the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes, problems involving the system contributed to pilots losing control of the aircraft.
Boeing has not contested liability in the civil damages litigation surrounding the Ethiopian Airlines disaster.
More than 90 percent of the related civil lawsuits have previously been settled, with Boeing paying substantial compensation through lawsuits and other arrangements.
The two crashes also triggered investigations into Boeing’s safety practices, regulatory oversight and the certification process for the 737 MAX.
The aircraft was grounded worldwide following the Ethiopian Airlines accident before eventually returning to commercial service after software, training and regulatory changes.
Ryan Remembered for Global Humanitarian Work
Michael Ryan’s professional career was closely connected with international humanitarian operations.
As an engineer with the World Food Programme, he worked in crisis-hit regions and supported programmes intended to protect vulnerable communities.
His work included humanitarian efforts during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia.
He also helped Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including work involving shelters and evacuations designed to protect displaced communities from floods and landslides.
Ryan had also worked in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Ethiopia during his international career.
His widow previously described him as someone deeply committed to humanitarian service and determined to use his skills to make a difference.
The $29 million jury verdict now provides his family with one of the latest court awards resulting from the Ethiopian Airlines disaster.
Another Boeing Family Awarded $49.5 Million in May
The Ryan verdict follows another major jury award against Boeing earlier this year.
In May 2026, a Chicago federal jury awarded $49.5 million to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old American who was also killed aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
That award included $21 million for Stumo’s suffering during the fatal flight, $16.5 million for her family’s loss of companionship and $12 million for their grief.
An earlier jury verdict in November 2025 awarded more than $28 million to the family of Shikha Garg, a United Nations environmental consultant who also died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
The latest $29 million decision therefore adds to a growing series of public jury awards in cases where families chose to pursue court proceedings rather than resolve their claims privately.
Most remaining litigation connected with the two MAX disasters has now been resolved or narrowed considerably, making the Ryan verdict one of the final major civil cases arising from a tragedy that reshaped Boeing and the global aviation industry.
