Janice R. Andrews
A criminal investigation has been opened by the FBI into an Alaska Airlines flight from January in which the aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 9, had a door plug blow out in midair.
The FBI confirmed a criminal investigation by writing to passengers, referring to them as “victims,” even though just a few of the 177 passengers and staff members were hurt.
Following the event, a group alleging “serious emotional distress, fear, and anxiety” filed a lawsuit against Alaska Airlines.
The criminal investigation may take a while to conclude, according to FBI letters dated March 19; there are no updates at this time.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a criminal inquiry into the Boeing aircraft blowout that happened on a flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California on January 5. This investigation is consistent with previous media reporting about this investigation.
According to people familiar with the inquiry, it would look at whether Boeing broke a deal with the Justice Department after two of its 737 Max planes crashed fatally in 2018 and 2019.
Boeing is still silent about the continuing criminal investigation.
Alaska Airlines responded by saying they are not a target of the inquiry and that they are fully cooperating with the government examination.
Shortly after takeoff, the Alaska Airlines flight lost an exterior part, resulting in uncontrollable decompression within the aircraft, forcing an emergency landing in Portland.
Some passengers told stories of clinging to their seats for protection. Cuong Tran, one of the passengers, related how his seat belt kept him safe when objects were torn from him 16,000 feet above the ground.
Pictures circulated online depicted the Boeing 737-9 Max airplane with oxygen masks deployed and a large hole in its side.
Important bolts from the door stopper were missing, according to the NTSB’s preliminary assessment, which may have contributed to the tragedy.
A few days earlier, Boeing had grounded the aircraft because pressurization warning lights had been recorded on earlier flights, making it unable of doing long-haul flights over water.
The decision, according to NTSB chief Jennifer Homendy, was made to make sure the aircraft could promptly return to an airfield in the event that identical warnings were issued.
