US judge allows claims for Ethiopia crash victims' pain

A US judge has ruled that relatives of those who died when a Boeing 737 Max aircraft crashed in Ethiopia can seek compensation for the pain and suffering of the victims.

The judge Jorge Alonso in Illinois said a jury could reasonably conclude that the passengers were aware they were hurtling to their death.

Boeing had argued that those on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight had died instantly.

The plane crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa four years ago.

The latest ruling was issued ahead of possible trials in the US to establish how much the victims' families should receive.

Three years ago, Boeing admitted liability for the crash - and for another in Indonesia.

This article originally appeared on BBC News.
Photo: AFP