The investigation comes amid increased scrutiny of Boeing's safety record following fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
US prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the mid-flight explosion of a Boeing 737 MAX operated by Alaska Airlines, according to US media reports.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has interviewed witnesses, including the plane's crew, as part of the investigation into the January 5 incident in which a part of the fuselage exploded in mid-flight, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.
Alaska Airlines said it was cooperating with authorities.
“In an event like this, it is normal for the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation. “We are cooperating fully and do not believe we are the target of the investigation,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement to Al Jazeera.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The investigation comes as Boeing is under scrutiny over its safety record following a series of incidents, including two fatal crashes involving the Boeing 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019.
The Justice Department investigation will inform authorities' assessment of whether Boeing has complied with the terms of a $2.5 billion agreement to avoid prosecution in connection with those crashes, the Wall Street Journal reported.
On Monday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had identified “non-compliance issues in Boeing's manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control” following an audit of the FAA. company that included interviews with employees and a visit to its production line.
The FAA said Boeing would have 90 days to come up with a plan to correct the problems.
A separate FAA report, released last month but released before the explosion incident, found serious problems with Boeing's safety culture, including fears of retaliation among employees with safety concerns.
Boeing said Friday in a letter to the U.S. Congress that it was unable to locate records of work done on the door panel that fell off the Alaska Airlines plane.
The Seattle-based plane maker has said it believes records about the panel were never created despite company rules requiring such documentation.
