Boeing in court on fraud charges over two plane crashes which killed 346 people.

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Aircraft giant Boeing will answer a fraud charge in court later over two plane crashes which killed 346 people.

Both accidents were down to flaws in the flight control systems on the 737 Max aircraft which caused nosedives.

Boeing was found to have failed to disclose information about the system but avoided a trial by agreeing to pay $2.5bn (£1.8bn) in fines and compensation.

Relatives of those who died are trying to reopen the settlement.

It means that for the first time, the company will be formally charged in court in relation to the two crashes, and will have to plead guilty or not guilty.

Boeing has previously opposed reopening the agreement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ), saying to do so would be "unprecedented, unworkable and inequitable." It declined to comment on the arraignment.

 

Boeing 737 Max aircraft were cleared to fly again in the US in 2020 and the UK and EU in 2021 after being grounded following the crashes in 2019.