A draft interim report from Ethiopia blames Boeing design for the fatal crash of a 737 Max plane in the country last March.
157 people died in the crash including Irishman, Michael Ryan.
The report has not been published with details leaked by two people briefed about its content.
Boeing and the National Transport Safety Board in the US have declined to comment on the draft report.
The Ethiopian draft contrasts with conclusions by Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee after a prior 737 Max crash in October 2018. Indonesian investigators cited multiple factors in the accident, including the plane’s design, poor maintenance, and the pilots’ actions.
Rather than release a full report, the Ethiopian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau plans to publish an interim update before the anniversary of the March 10, 2019, crash.
The conclusions, which include recommendations, are only in draft form and could be altered before release, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.
It’s possible the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board could request changes to the report or offer a dissenting opinion.
