Chicago Jury Awards $29 Million to Family of UN Worker Killed in Boeing Crash

Aug 13, 2026

63 min

Aug 13, 2026 03:31

Chicago jury awards $29m to family of Irish UN worker killed in Boeing crash

## Background

A Chicago jury has awarded $29 million to the family of Michael Ryan, an Irish-born United Nations employee who died in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash involving a Boeing 737 MAX. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 157 passengers on board.

## The Victim

Michael Ryan, aged 39 at the time of his death, was an engineer with the UN World Food Programme. He had contributed significantly to humanitarian efforts, including work during the Ebola crisis in Liberia and with Rohingya refugees. His career also included assignments in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Ethiopia.

## Legal Proceedings

The lawsuit was filed by Ryan's widow, Naoise Connolly Ryan, against Boeing. This case is among the last civil suits related to the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which together claimed 346 lives. Most other claims have been settled privately.

## Boeing's Response

Boeing has previously apologized for the crashes, acknowledging that issues with the aircraft's anti-stall software contributed to the accidents. The company did not immediately comment on the recent jury decision.

## Previous Settlements

In a related case, a Chicago jury awarded $49.5 million in May to the family of Samya Stumo, another victim of the same Ethiopian Airlines flight.

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