China News Network, March 10 (Sweet) A year ago, with a loud noise and heavy smoke, a Boeing passenger plane carrying 157 people "fall down" in the Ethiopian wilderness.
On the same day, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 crashed 6 minutes after takeoff, and no one on board survived.
What is the result of the accident investigation now that one year has passed? Who is responsible for the lost life? What kind of answers did the families of the victims wait for?
At 8:38 a.m. local time on March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 took off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and crashed about 6 minutes after takeoff. All 157 people on board were killed. The picture shows the accident scene.
Massive plane crash killed 157 people
Scorched earth into last thoughts
At 8:38 local time on March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines ET302 took off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
At 8:40, the plane vibrated violently and then dived down.
At 8:44, the plane crashed about 48 kilometers from the airport.
Under the severe impact, the wasteland was knocked out of a large pit several meters deep, and the charred remains and relics were scattered all over the place.
The families of the victims came from all over the world to mourn their loved ones and close friends. The mother of the 22-year-old Chinese girl who was killed kept muttering: "Child, if you have a spirit in heaven, let me see you here."
The father of a Kenyan victim was holding a bag of dirt in a plastic bag. In his opinion, these soils are hope, "When you see this soil, you will think of your daughter."
On March 10, 2019 local time, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, search and rescue teams continued to clean up and search for remains at the site of the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
According to reports, as the identification of the remains may take 6 months, Egypt Air decided to provide each victim's family with a bag of scorched earth weighing 1 kg at the incident so that the family can use it instead of the remains to hold the funeral .
In the following months, through DNA testing, the remains of the victims were confirmed and returned to their families.
Preliminary investigation report released
Who is responsible for the lost life?
On April 4, 2019, the preliminary report of the Egypt Air difficult investigation was released. According to the report:
The aircraft "recurred with an uncontrolled nose down";
After the accident, the pilot repeatedly tried to control the aircraft according to Boeing's emergency response procedures, but ultimately failed;
The Egyptian Ministry of Transport recommended that Boeing review the aircraft control system.
The Egypt Air disaster is the second accident in a Boeing 737 MAX series passenger aircraft following the Lion Air disaster in October 2018. Two plane crashes claimed a total of 346 lives. Since then, the 737 MAX has been grounded or banned.
After the Ethiopian Airlines accident, Boeing's then CEO, Mürnberger, voiced his memory in memory of the dead. However, it wasn't until the preliminary report was published that Mullenberg acknowledged for the first time that there was a problem with the 737 MAX's automatic anti-stall system (MCAS). This system was activated in response to incorrect angle-of-attack information, causing the nose to repeatedly go down.
Local time November 1, 2018, Jakarta, Indonesia, Indonesian Lion Air JT610 passenger plane crashed into the sea for search and rescue has entered the fourth day, the victims' relics filled the place.
Boeing stunned again
Who is indulging the "life killer"?
Although Boeing has repeatedly promised to improve the 737 MAX system software to ensure safe flight, it has always been "faced" by reality.
In addition to MCAS system problems, this series of passenger aircraft was also revealed that the simulator used to train pilots to fly was also flawed.
Adam Dixon, an old Boeing employee involved in the production of the 737 MAX, bluntly stated that the company only talks about progress, regardless of procedures and quality.
In addition, an investigation by a joint group of international aviation safety regulators stated that the FAA's ability to evaluate Boeing 737MAX was insufficient and there were violations. The FAA has been accused of "generally relying on Boeing's own staff to certify aircraft safety."
Figure 4: October 29, 2019 is the first anniversary of the Indonesian Lion Air crash. The U.S. Senate held a hearing on this special day, and Boeing CEO Dennis Millenberg attended the testimony. Prior to the hearing, Millenberg acknowledged that Boeing had made mistakes on the 737MAX. On the same day, photos of relatives of the victims holding hands of relatives stood behind Millenberg.
Victim's family member Michael Stumo said the two deaths were "preventable." "Boeing's attention to interests has caused my daughter and 345 others to be killed in two tragic air crashes."
After the Egypt Air accident, some families of the victims filed a lawsuit against Boeing. They want to know why the 737MAX is still flying after the Lion Air disaster. Does Boeing take a "shortcut" in the aircraft regulatory system?
Boeing's move made them chill!
140,000 "compensations" vs 60 million "pensions"
In the fourth month after the EgyptAir accident, Boeing finally mentioned "compensation."
Boeing said it would allocate $ 100 million to provide assistance to the families and communities of those killed in the two crashes. Soon, Boeing also said that the families of the 346 victims would receive about $ 140,000 each.
Some families of the victims were angry about it, and they thought it was a propaganda stunt from Boeing, "just want to win back the public trust ... the focus is to go around the 737MAX."
By the end of the year, Boeing, which suffered heavy economic losses, fired 30-year-old Milnerberg. However, the job is gone, the money is still there, and US media reports that Millenberg will receive more than $ 60 million in retirement and stock after leaving office.
Data Map: After the Egypt Air crash, family members of passengers waited for news at Charles de Gaulle International Airport.
The news made Zipporah Kuria, who had lost his father in the accident, feel "chilled", "the support of 346 families was almost as much as the pension that made them lose their (relative) core person easily. . "
Clarice Moore lost her 24-year-old daughter in the accident. In their opinion, they don't need financial support, they just want to provide spiritual help to relatives and friends who are still struggling. In October 2019, Moore finally waited until her daughter's remains were sent home.
Lost ≠ Forgotten
They are still waiting for the answer
The 157 lives lost have long been scattered in the wilderness of Ethiopia. Now, a year has passed, and they remain in the world, waiting for the answer-who is the "murderer"?
In January 2020, a US expert group concluded that "the FAA's overall (aircraft) certification system was found to be effective" and supported the commissioning of certification to Boeing's own system.
Local time April 10, 2019, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737MAX8 crashed for one month. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNCA) building held a commemorative event. UN officials, family members of the victims, etc. attended
Curia was "surprised" by this, "We hope the FAA can seek a higher level of security." "According to this report, the level of security of the FAA will remain unchanged, which has cost us the families of those killed. Heavy price-not once, twice. "
Lawyers representing the families of the victims have continued their "tugging war" with Boeing. In February, the two parties agreed in court to hold a conference call with the US government's air crash investigation department on access to relevant documents related to the design and development of the 737 MAX and two air crashes. Counsel believes these materials are critical to assessing Boeing's liability and punitive damages.
Meanwhile, the Boeing 737MAX, which has been grounded worldwide, is still under investigation. Clarice Moore said they were working to understand the investigation and asked for answers. She and other families of the victims also hope to increase the transparency of the investigation.
Kenyan woman Esther Kabau-Wanyoike lost her 29-year-old brother in the air crash. She choked and said, "We can use the lessons of his death to make it safer for everyone to travel." (End)