The US Department of Justice could start criminal proceedings against the American manufacturer Boeing for the fatal plane crashes of 2018 and 2019. These are the two B-737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, in which 346 people lost their lives. The request to the American government came from the prosecutors who are following the Boeing case.

Why reopen a case that dates back years? The reason is this: in 2021 the US Department of Justice had suspended a criminal action against the manufacturer regarding the two fatal plane crashes. The freezing of the legal action, following the payment of 2.5 billion dollars in compensation to the families of the victims, was linked to the fact that for three years Boeing would guarantee excellent safety standards on the production of aircraft.

Instead, on January 5, 2024 the plug door of a B-737 MAX 9, operated by the US company Alaska Airlines, exploded in flight, causing injuries to some passengers. The three-year period would have ended in July 2024, but the incident with Alaska occurred before the expiration date. Therefore, in May 2024 the US Department of Justice launched an investigation to determine whether the company had violated the agreement signed in 2021. Prosecutors following the Boeing case argue that it had.

On the same topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.