US agency opens investigation against Boeing and says incident on 737 Max 9 'opened door to incident that should never have happened and will never happen again' | the world

Specialists hold the door of a Boeing 737 Max 900 that came loose while the plane was in the air, Jan. 8, 2024, in Portland, United States. – Photo: US National Transportation Safety Board via AP

The US Civil Aviation Agency (FAA) said Thursday (11) that it will investigate Boeing's conduct in the incident that opened the door in mid-air on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 flight.

The incident took place on Friday (5). Shortly after the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 took off from Portland, the door — an extra emergency exit the plane doesn't use — detached from the plane. Despite the scare, no one was hurt — no passenger in the seat next to the loose door.

“This incident should never have happened and will never happen again. The FAA has formally notified Boeing that it is conducting an investigation to determine whether the products were in a condition suitable for safe operation in accordance with the approved design. Compliance with FAA regulations,” the company said. “Boeing's manufacturing practices must comply with the high safety standards to which they are legally responsible.”

The FAA added, “Safety of the traveling public, not speed, will dictate the timeline for the return of the Boeing 737 Max to service.”