Google co-founder Sergey Brin is facing mounting legal troubles following a second lawsuit filed in connection with a tragic plane crash off the coast of California in May 2023 that resulted in the deaths of two pilots. The latest lawsuit, which has not been widely reported until now, was filed in July by the family of pilot Dean Rushfeldt. This comes after a similar lawsuit was filed in February by the widow of the other pilot, Lance Maclean.
The lawsuits accuse Brin, his private family office Bayshore Global, and other related entities, including Google, of multiple counts of negligence. The claims revolve around the alleged mishandling of the De Havilland DHC6-400 Twin Otter airplane, which was intended to fly from Santa Rosa, California, to Honolulu, with an ultimate destination of Fiji.
On May 20, 2023, the plane, equipped with a fuel bladder designed to extend its range, ran out of fuel approximately 30 miles off the California coast, causing it to crash into the Pacific Ocean. Both pilots, Rushfeldt and Maclean, were found dead inside the aircraft, but their bodies could not be recovered before the plane sank, according to court documents.
The Rushfeldt family’s lawsuit alleges that Bayshore Global and Seafly, another corporate entity involved, made critical errors in maintaining the aircraft. The legal documents claim that the fuel bladder was installed “from memory” without following a proper checklist, logs of alterations were not adequately recorded, and the necessary certifications were not obtained.
Additionally, the latest lawsuit accuses Brin’s team of tortious interference with a dead body, claiming that they promised to recover Rushfeldt’s body but secretly had no intention of doing so. The lawsuit suggests that Brin, given his immense wealth, could have ensured the recovery of the aircraft and the remains but chose not to do so. Brin’s lawyers have contested similar claims in the earlier lawsuit, arguing that state law claims related to the recovery of the body are preempted by the Death on the High Seas Act.
While the Maclean lawsuit is further along in the legal process, with some defendants, including Google, already dismissed, Brin and the other parties involved have yet to respond to the Rushfeldt case.
This legal battle comes at a time when Brin has returned to the public eye after stepping back from Google in 2019. Amid the surge in AI development, Brin has re-engaged with Google to help build its Gemini AI model and has been more visible at the company’s internal meetings and public events. Despite his reemergence in the tech world, these lawsuits cast a shadow over his return.
