Passengers of Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 Possibly Victims of a Crime
Passengers of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 that experienced a frightening midair blowout in January have recently received a letter from the FBI, indicating that they may be victims “of a crime.” The FBI office in Seattle sent the notification letters to the passengers, stating that they are currently investigating the incident.
Mark Lindquist, an attorney representing multiple passengers on flight 1282, shared the letter with CNN. Lindquist expressed his support for the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation, stating that they seek accountability, answers, and safer Boeing planes. Robert Clifford, another attorney representing families of victims from the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash and some of the recent Alaska Air passengers, confirmed that his clients also received the letter, highlighting the need to consider the families of the Ethiopian Air victims as crime victims as well.
Flight attendants of Alaska Air Flight 1282 have been interviewed by investigators from the Justice Department, shedding light on the seriousness of the situation. The FBI and DOJ have not yet confirmed or denied the existence of their investigation, adhering to Department of Justice policy.
Boeing and the Criminal Probe
The recent FBI investigation comes in the wake of a criminal probe launched by the Justice Department into both Boeing and the Alaska Air incident. This investigation carries the potential to disrupt a deferred prosecution agreement that Boeing reached with the Justice Department during the Trump administration’s final month. The agreement aimed to resolve fraud charges against Boeing for misleading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during the original certification process for the 737 Max jets.
Boeing, under the settlement, agreed to