Criminal probe opened into Alaska Airlines 737 plane blowout – report

The Boeing jetliner blowout left a gaping hole on the Alaska Airlines plane this January (NTSB via AP)

The US department of justice has launched a criminal investigation into the Boeing jetliner blowout that left a gaping hole on an Alaska Airlines plane this January, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Citing documents and other sources, the newspaper said investigators have contacted some passengers and crew – including pilots and flight attendants – who were on the January 5 flight.