FBI Tells Passengers on Alaska Airlines Blowout Flight They May Be Crime Victims

Alaska Airlines said the probe does not target the airline.

The fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737 MAX9, which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage, is seen during an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 7, 2024. NTSB/Handout via Reuters

Passengers onboard the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, which suffered a mid-air door plug blowout on Jan. 5, have been told by the FBI via a letter that they may have been victims of a possible crime.

The letter, written by a victim specialist with the FBI’s Seattle office, states that the case is currently under FBI investigation, which “can be a lengthy undertaking.” But the FBI is unable to provide updates on its progress for the time being, it added.