"Boeing Plane Passenger Files 1 Trillion Won Lawsuit Over Ear Bleeding... Due to Door Falling Off in Air"

Victimized Passengers File Damage Lawsuit Against Boeing and Alaska Airlines
"Result of Prioritizing Profit Over Safety," They Claim

Passengers affected by an in-flight fuselage accident that forced an emergency landing have filed a lawsuit worth over 1 trillion won against the airline and the aircraft manufacturer, CBS News reported on the 3rd (local time).

According to CBS, three passengers including Kyle Linker, who were on Alaska Airlines Flight 182, filed a claim for $1 billion (approximately 1.3 trillion won) in compensation and punitive damages against Alaska Airlines and Boeing on the 20th of last month in Multnomah County, Oregon. Boeing is the manufacturer of the 737 Max 9, the aircraft model involved in the accident.

In their complaint, they claimed that the fuselage tear incident caused "horrific and life-threatening negligence resulting in severe mental and psychological damage including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as physical injuries." Some passengers reported bleeding from their ears due to the sudden change in cabin pressure.

A Boeing 737-Max 9 passenger plane belonging to Alaska Airlines, which made an emergency landing recently due to a hole that appeared on the fuselage during flight, is waiting for maintenance at Portland International Airport in Oregon, USA, on the 6th of last month (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

They further argued that "Boeing and Alaska Airlines prioritized profits over safety" and that "the accident occurred due to structural problems within these companies." Their attorney, Jonathan W. Johnson, also stated that the plane crash was preventable and that they want to hold the parties responsible for the negligence that caused the passengers to experience extreme fear, terror, and post-traumatic stress.

The accident occurred on January 5th when Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, departing from Portland International Airport in Oregon, developed a hole in the fuselage while flying at about 5,000 meters altitude. The passenger plane, carrying 174 passengers and 6 crew members, had parts of its windows and walls torn off, and the cabin pressure dropped rapidly, forcing an emergency landing. Several passengers sustained minor injuries, and a tense situation unfolded as mobile phones, dolls, shirts, and other items were sucked out through the hole.

According to preliminary investigation results released last month by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the accident aircraft was found to have been missing four bolts that secure the door during assembly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.