Families of Britons who died in plane crash in Ethiopia accuse Boeing of playing ‘Russian roulette’ with people’s lives as inquest into tragedy opens
- They also claimed the lives of the three brits were ‘stolen’ by ‘greed’ of Boeing
The families of Britons who died in a plane crash in Ethiopia have accused Boeing of playing ‘Russian roulette’ with people’s lives, an inquest heard.
Humanitarians Joanna Toole, 36, Samuel Pegram, 25, and Oliver Vick, 45, were among 157 people killed onboard flight ET302.
Their families have spent years demanding answers over why the aircraft was allowed to fly despite safety concerns resulting from a previous crash just five months earlier.
At today’s inquest, they claimed the lives of these three brits were ‘stolen’ by the ‘greed’ of Boeing who put profits before safety.
The crash on 10 March, 2019 occurred six minutes after it took off from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi in Kenya.
Joanna Toole, 36, died onboard a passenger flight from Ethiopia to Kenya in March 2019
Pictured: British humanitarian worker Sam Pegram, 25, who was among the 157 people killed
All 149 passengers and eight crew members died in the crash less than five months after an earlier Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed in the Java Sea on 29 October 2018, killing 189.
The dual incidents caused a two-year worldwide long-term grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 8, and later resulted in the manufacturer being charged with conspiracy to defraud the US in January 2021.
It’s alleged that certain software characteristics of the Max (the MCAS system) were concealed from the regulator during its certification process.
The erroneous activation of the MCAS system has since been blamed for both the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March 2019.
At the West Sussex inquest today the coroner was urged by the families to issue a verdict of unlawful killing to recognise the role Boeing’s deceit and neglect had played in the deaths.
Publication of the Air Accident Report was delayed leading to an agonising four year wait for the families for answers.
The report stated there was no fault on behalf of the pilots, no impact to the aircraft from striking birds or any other external event.
Samuel’s father Mark Pegrim said: ‘How he was lost and that it should have been avoided makes it harder to bare. People who were responsible just carry on with their lives. The dishonesty and deceit they have shown is the complete opposite of Sam’s values.’
Mr Pegrim said they wanted to bring justice for all of the families on board the flight.
‘It was designed with fatal flaws,’ he added. ‘Boeing then continued to fly after the first crash. This should not have happened – too many lives have been lost.
‘I urge you to reach a verdict of unlawful killing. They were not just negligent but broke the law.’
Humanitarian Oliver Vick was killed on onboard flight ET302
Investigators with the U.S. National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) look over debris at the crash site of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302
He added: ‘Boeing lost their way – for profit corners were cut, warnings were ignored and authorities and airlines were deceived.’
Sam’s mum Deborah added: ‘Boeing played Russian roulette with people’s lives and they should be held responsible for the deaths.’
Paying tribute to his son, of Preston, Lancashire, who worked for the Norwegian Refugee Council, Mr Pegrim added: He was a special person to so many people.. He made the world a better place for those lucky enough to know him, to love him and be loved by him.
‘He had a strong passion for human rights and hated injustice and inequality. He was a ray of positive energy.
‘Our lives changed forever on 10 March and will never be the same. A promising career was ended and he never truly realised the difference he had already made. A light has gone out of our lives.’
Loved ones of Joanna Toole, of Exmouth, Devon, described her as someone who loved animals and ‘really cared and was very passionate about conversation.’
Her dad Adrian Toole said: ‘All her potential was cut short. I am sure evidence will convince you it was no accident.
‘It was a disaster that happened in a faraway place – but shows another crash was inevitable. And another Max 8 could have come down in the UK.’
Joanna was employed to represent the UN and her family said her life’s ambition was to improve the lives of animals.
Mr Toole added: ‘She had a rare combination of empathy for both animals and people. The death of a child is like losing a part of yourself and I started dying on 10 March 2019.’
He said Joanna was on her way to represent the UN at an environmental assembly in Nairobi.
Wreckage is piled at the crash scene of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302
He added: ‘The 149 passengers killed were not a typical cross section of travellers. 22 of the dead were associated with the UN and nine were working in other humanitarian areas.
‘It was a disaster that went beyond personal tragedy and set back all the good work those people were engaged in.’
Oliver Vick’s mother Cheryl, of Wargrave, Berkshire, said the family had always flown ‘without fear’ for several generations and always subscribed to the statistics that flying was the safest form of travel.
She added: ‘Boeing betrayed them, four generations of trust. And betrayed everyone on those flights.’
She accused those responsible of ‘deliberately’ putting profit above safety and for causing what she described as a ‘devastating and avoidable crash.’
She said her son was ‘stolen from us by Boeing fraud and a deep betrayal of the world’s flying public.’
Paying tribute, she described Oliver as a devoted father and said his death had left their world ‘a sadder, emptier place.’
She added: ‘He was a sure believer it was possible to make the world a better place to improve the lives of people near and afar. He had an unwavering focus on making the world a better place for as many people as possible.’
She added: ‘We are so proud of the man our boy became. The grief, shock and horror will always be with us. No day can ever be the same again without my beautiful boy.’
The inquest continues.
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