Asiana settles with San Francisco for $3.45 million

Asiana Airlines, the nation’s second-largest air carrier, has reached a $3.45 million settlement with San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors for damages caused during a crash in 2013 that killed three and injured nearly 200 others, according to reports on Wednesday.

According to the agreement, which was approved unanimously by the city council members, $1.6 million from the settlement will go toward airport damages while $1.2 million will be used for the city’s legal fees. Asiana Airlines will also be compensating San Francisco’s aviation insurer. 

The settlement ends San Francisco’s suit against the airline, which has also been sued by the passengers. Seventy-two passengers settled their case for an undisclosed amount last year.

A spokesman for Asiana Airlines confirmed the content of the settlement but declined to comment further.

On July 6, 2013, an Asiana flight that took off from Incheon International Airport was approaching San Francisco International Airport when it clipped a seawall projecting into San Francisco Bay, ripping off part of the plane. The rest of the plane slid onto the runway and burst into flames.

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)