Trending Topics

San Francisco settles lawsuit by firefighter in plane crash

Elyse Duckett alleged she was being made a scapegoat for larger failures in the rescue efforts after the crash

pl-9.jpg

This July 6, 2013, file photo shows the wreckage of Asiana Flight 214 on the ground after it crashed at San Francisco International Airport.

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco firefighter who says she was wrongly singled out for driving over a teen thrown from the wreckage of a 2013 airliner crash will receive $250,000 from the city to settle her lawsuit.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved the settlement in a Tuesday vote.

Elyse Duckett alleged she was being made a scapegoat for larger failures in the rescue efforts after the crash of Asiana Flight 214 at San Francisco International Airport.

The teen and two other people died, and nearly 200 passengers and crew were injured when the flight from South Korea slammed into a seawall at the end of a runway during its final approach.

Duckett said in her complaint that another rescue vehicle initially struck the body of 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan, but only Duckett’s name was released as responsible for running over the girl.

John Cote, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office, said the settlement was reasonable given the facts, claims and inherent uncertainty of litigation.

Duckett is no longer employed by the San Francisco Fire Department.

Messages seeking comment from Duckett and her attorney were not returned.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU