The U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the January incident that saw a door-sized hole blow open on a Boeing (BA) made aircraft midflight.
The flight, operated by Alaska Air (ALK), had to make an emergency landing after a door plug blew off the fuselage shortly after takeoff.
No passengers were hurt in the incident, but Boeing has been under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ever since the incident occurred.
In recent months, other Boeing aircraft were found to have missing parts and extra inspections by the FAA continue to be carried out on the company’s fleet of airplanes.
Now, the U.S. Justice Department has opened a criminal probe into the incident aboard the Alaska Air flight.
According to multiple media reports, Justice Department officials have interviewed pilots and attendants that were onboard the Alaska Air flight, and investigators have told some passengers that they could be victims of a crime.
Boeing’s stock has declined 21% so far in 2024 and is down 48% over the past five years. The company’s shares are currently trading at $198.49 U.S. each.
