On Wednesday, families of victims from the Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 urged U.S. authorities to levy a fine of up to $24.8 billion against the aviation giant and to initiate criminal prosecutions. This request follows Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun's recent acknowledgment before a U.S. congressional panel of the company's severe safety issues and his assurances of ongoing improvements.

During the hearing, relatives of the crash victims held up photos of their loved ones as a stark reminder of the tragedies. Representing the families, lawyer Paul Cassell argued in a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice that Boeing's actions constituted the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history, justifying the maximum fine.

The detailed 32-page letter explains the rationale behind the proposed fine, suggesting that a substantial portion of it, potentially between $14 billion and $22 billion, could be suspended if Boeing commits those funds to an independent corporate monitor and significant safety and compliance enhancements.

Additionally, the families are calling for Boeing's Board of Directors to meet with them directly and are pushing for immediate criminal prosecutions of corporate officials responsible during the time of the crashes.

The crashes, which occurred in Indonesia and Ethiopia, resulted in 346 fatalities and have led to heightened scrutiny of Boeing's practices. This scrutiny has intensified following recent manufacturing and safety concerns, including a January 5 incident where a 737 MAX operated by Alaska Airlines had to make an emergency landing due to a fuselage panel blowing out mid-flight.