Lawsuit Filed Against Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin by Pilot’s Widow Killed in Plane Crash

Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, is facing a lawsuit filed by the widow of the pilot who was killed in a plane crash, which was owned by Brin due to a faulty fuel system.

The lawsuit has named Alphabet Inc’s Google, Maintenance Company, co-pilot, mechanic as the respondents and has also charged Sergey Brin of hindering the recovery efforts.

On May 20, 2023 a De Havilland DHC 6-400 Twin Otter airplane took off from Santa Rosa, California on its way to Fiji. The plane had pilot Lance Maclean and co-pilot Dean Rushfeldt as its only occupants.

Since the plane did not have the fuel capacity to reach Fiji in a single hop, it was fitted with an auxiliary fuel tank.

However en-route to Fiji, the pilot noticed some issue with the fuel intake and turned back.

The plane was running low on fuel and the Pilot declared an emergency.

The plane ultimately crashed into the sea near Half Moon Bay, resulting in the deaths of pilot Lance Maclean and co-pilot Dean Rushfeldt.

A rescue mission was launched by the U.S. Coast Guard and Coast Guard swimmers found the pilots’ bodies strapped in their seats in the submerged cockpit.

However because there were no air tanks the bodies could not be recovered, reported Los Angeles Times at that time.

The lawsuit which was lodged in the state court of Santa Clara County by pilot Lance Maclean widow Olarte Maclean has made a number of charges against Sergey Brin as well as Alphabet Inc’s Google, alleged part-owner of the plane.

The lawsuit alleged that the supplementary fuel tank was installed by a novice who did not have the technical expertise and he did have an assembly checklist while installing the supplementary fuel tank and was working based on his memory.

The lawsuit by Olarte Maclean further alleges that Sergey Brin tried to destroy the crash scene evidence by hindering recovery operations.

At first Brin had informed the pilot’s kin that the recovery operation was being hindered due to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

However NOAA later issued a denial that it was involved in any way.

The lawsuit alleged that no efforts were made to recover the bodies of the pilots and they were denied a Christian burial.

The complaint states,

“From the outset of the crash, despite publicly assuring Plaintiff that her husband’s remains would be recovered, Sergey Brin and his agents decided to leave him at the bottom of the ocean along with evidence that would establish that Defendants were responsible for the crash that killed the two pilots.”

Olarte demands over $150,000 for severe emotional distress and seeks a court mandate for the aircraft’s recovery.

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