A U.S. judge on Thursday approved a request by the Justice Department to dismiss a criminal case against Boeing stemming from two fatal 737 MAX plane crashes that killed 346 people including 18 Canadians.

However, Judge Reed O'Connor, of the U.S. District Court in Fort Worth, Texas, said he disagreed with the Justice Department that dismissing the case is in the public interest but said he did not have authority to reject the decision. He added the government's deal with Boeing "fails to secure the necessary accountability to ensure the safety of the flying public."

Boeing did not immediately comment.

In September, O'Connor held a three-hour hearing to consider objections to the deal, questioning the government's decision to drop a requirement that Boeing face oversight from an independ

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