The FBI believes passengers onboard the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 that suffered a near-catastrophic midair blowout in January may have been victims of a crime, according to a letter sent out to passengers who were on that flight.
That letter was shared with CNN by Attorney Mark Lindquist, who is representing several passengers who were on flight 1282 that day. "I'm contacting you because we have identified you as a possible victim of a crime," the letter reads in part.
It also notes that the FBI is currently investigating the case.
"My clients and I welcome the DOJ investigation," Lindquist told CNN, "We want accountability. We want answers. We want safer Boeing planes. And a DOJ investigation helps advance our goals."
Flight attendants aboard the flight were interviewed by Justice Department investigators, according to CNN.
The letters were first reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month.
"The FBI does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation," FBI Seattle's Public Affairs Office wrote in an email to CNN, citing Department of Justice policy.
The Justice Department opened a probe into the incident and airliner manufacturer Boeing in February.
Said investigation carries the possibility of upending the deferred prosecution agreement Boeing reached with the Justice Department in the final month of Trump's presidency.
That settlement was for charges that Boeing defrauded the Federal Aviation Administration during the certification process for the 737 Max.
Boeing agreed to pay $205 billion as part of the deal. However, most of the money Boeing had already agreed to pay to airlines that purchased the Max jet, which was grounded for nearly two years following the Ethiopian Air crash and an earlier crash in Indonesia.
The deferred prosecution agreement could have ended the threat of Boeing facing criminal liability for those earlier fraud charges. The deferred prosecution agreement had the potential to end the legal threat of Boeing facing criminal liability charges for those earlier fraud charges.
However, the January incident came days before a three-year probation period was set to expire.
