A devastating loss found a measure of closure this week. After years of legal battles, a settlement has been reached in the case brought by a Toronto man against Boeing, stemming from the tragic 2019 crash of a 737 MAX 8 in Ethiopia – a crash that stole his parents, sister, her husband, and their two children.
The agreement came at the eleventh hour, just as a jury had been selected and opening statements were scheduled to begin. While the specific terms remain confidential, the resolution marks a significant moment for Manant Vaidya, the man who lost his entire immediate family in the disaster.
Boeing, through this settlement, has acknowledged full responsibility for the preventable deaths of these innocent people. Robert Clifford, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, stated the company has been held accountable for the immeasurable grief inflicted upon this family.
The victims included Pannagesh and Hansini Vaidya, aged 73 and 67, and their daughter, Kosha Vaidya, 37. Kosha’s husband, Preritkumar Dixit, 45, and their children, Ashka and Anushka Dixit, 14 and 13, were also lost on that fateful flight.
The Vaidya family was embarking on a journey filled with hope and connection. They were traveling from Canada during the girls’ spring break, eager to show them the land where their mother was born. Pannagesh and Hansini had joined them, excited to reconnect with old friends.
The crash, Flight ET-302, occurred mere minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, en route to Kenya. A total of 157 lives were extinguished that day, representing 35 different nations, including 18 Canadians.
The courtroom was prepared for a lengthy trial before Judge Jorge Alonso, with eight jurors selected after a full day of deliberation. The proceedings promised a detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the crash and the resulting damages, a trial now averted by this late settlement.
This resolution, while offering some solace, arrives amidst ongoing calls for criminal prosecution related to the Boeing 737 MAX crashes. For the Vaidya family, and the families of all those lost, the pursuit of justice continues, even as they begin to navigate a future forever marked by this profound tragedy.
