Asiana crash: 72 passengers settle lawsuits against airline

Asiana Airlines has reached a settlement with more than 70 of the passengers onboard the plane that crashed two years ago in San Francisco, according to court records filed Tuesday.

In a joint statement filed in federal court, attorneys for the airline and the passengers said that 72 passengers settled their personal injury claims that stemmed from the crash. The terms of the settlement are confidential.

The settlements are among the earliest claims to be resolved since the July 6, 2013, crash, when an Asiana Boeing 777 clipped a seawall and slammed into a runway at San Francisco International Airport.

“It’s a very good, positive first step,” said attorney Frank Pitre, who represented 10 of the passengers included in the settlement. He characterized those in the settlement as having less serious injuries from the crash.

More than 180 of the 307 passengers and crew members about Flight 124 were injured and three were killed.

Asiana handled the lead negotiations for the settlement, which also included the airplane’s manufacturer, Boeing, and the maker of the emergency evacuation slides, Air Cruisers Co.

At least 60 lawsuits against the airline filed in the Northern District of California by crew members, passengers or their representatives have not reached settlements, according to court records.

Because of treaties governing lawsuits after airplane disasters, dozens of claims have been filed against the airline in China and South Korea and against Boeing in an Illinois state court. It’s unclear how many of those claims are included in the settlement announced Tuesday, attorneys said.

For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno.