The investigation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Boeing’s safety record following fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
According to US media reports, prosecutors in the United States have launched a criminal investigation into the mid-flight explosion involving a Boeing 737 MAX operated by Alaska Airlines.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has interviewed witnesses, including the air crew, as part of its investigation into the January 5 incident in which part of the fuselage fell off mid-flight, the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post reported on Saturday.
Alaska Airlines said it was cooperating with authorities.
“In such an event, it is normal for the DOJ to investigate. We are cooperating fully and do not believe we are the target of an investigation,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement to Al Jazeera.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The investigation comes as Boeing is under scrutiny for its safety record following a series of incidents, including two fatal crashes of the Boeing 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019.
The DOJ will inform investigating authorities’ assessment of whether Boeing has complied with the terms of a $2.5 billion agreement to avoid prosecution in connection with the accidents, the Wall Street Journal reported.
On Monday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had identified “non-compliance issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process controls, parts maintenance and storage, and product controls” following an audit of the company that included interviews with employees. And the tour is included. Its production line.
The FAA said Boeing will have 90 days to come up with a plan to correct the problems.
A separate FAA report, released last month but launched before the explosive incident, found serious problems with Boeing’s safety culture, including fear of retaliation among employees with safety concerns.
Boeing said in a letter to the US Congress on Friday that it was unable to find records for work done on the door panels that fell from the Alaska Airlines plane.
The Seattle-based airplane maker has said it believes records about the panels were never produced even though company regulations require such documentation.
