Boeing to give $100M to families, communities affected by Max 737 crashes

Boeing on Wednesday announced a $100 million fund for the families and “community needs” of the victims from two deadly 737 Max jet crashes over the past year.

The company said that the funds will “support education, hardship and living expenses for impacted families, community programs, and economic development in impacted communities.” Boeing said it will partner with local governments and nonprofits to distribute the money over multiple years.

{mosads}”We at Boeing are sorry for the tragic loss of lives in both of these accidents and these lives lost will continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and on our minds for years to come,” Boeing chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement. “The families and loved ones of those on board have our deepest sympathies, and we hope this initial outreach can help bring them comfort.”

More than 340 passengers and crew died in crashes involving the Boeing 737 Max jets in Indonesia and Ethiopia over the past year.

Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in October while Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 went down in March. The crashes prompted the Max jets to be grounded around the world.

“We know every person who steps aboard one of our airplanes places their trust in us. We are focused on re-earning that trust and confidence from our customers and the flying public in the months ahead,” Muilenberg said Wednesday.