The FBI has written to passengers who were onboard the Alaska Airlines flight that suffered an explosive decompression when a mid-cabin exit plug suffered a sudden blowout on January 26 that they might be victims of crime.
Passengers who were aboard the ill-fated Alaska Airlines flight 1282 have received letters telling them that the feds have ‘identified’ as a potential victim of crime. The letter also says that the FBI is actively investigating the potential crime.
The letter comes just weeks after it was reported that the Department of Justice had opened a criminal probe into what occurred on flight 1282. Both the DOJ and FBI have refused to publicly confirm the existence of a criminal investigation.
Alaska Airlines has, however, said it was “fully cooperating” with federal investigators and that a criminal probe was “normal” in this kind of incident.
The carrier pointed out that it was not the target of the investigation, with attention therefore turning to aircraft manufacturer Boeing and Spirit Aerosystems, which produced the exit plug.
Several of the 171 passengers and six crew members sustained minor injuries when the mid-cabin exit plug on a brand new Boeing 737 MAX 9 blew out shortly after takeoff from Portland on January 26.
Some of the passengers have already filed their own lawsuits against Boeing and other parties involved in the incident. Many of the victims named in the various lawsuits say they are lucky to have survived flight 1282.
For some reason, this “You may have been a victim of a crime” letter reminds me of the old Publisher’s Clearing House letters from the 90’s and early 2000’s in the US. “You may have already won 100 million dollars!”
Yes
FBI agents also kept pestering the 2022 Boston Hawaiian Airlines flight doctor to “admit” he exposed himself when he didn’t. He was found not guilty earlier this year. I wouldn’t believe what the FBI tells me in person or in a letter. That’s not to say the FBI isn’t assigned an important law enforcement role.
Sounds like a lawyer got ahold of the passenger list and sent letters out to me.