The Boeing 737 MAX 9 broke apart in the sky over Portland, USA on January 5 (Photo: AP).
According to US media, 6 passengers and 1 family member of one of those passengers filed a lawsuit against aircraft manufacturer Boeing in King County Superior Court in Seattle, Washington state.
The lawsuit claims Boeing owes them and the 165 other passengers on Flight 1282 compensation for injuries they suffered in the incident.
Daniel Laurence, the plaintiffs' attorney, said they suffered concussions, bruising, difficulty breathing, bleeding from their ears and psychological trauma as a result of the incident. "This horrific experience has caused economic, physical and emotional damage that has had a profound impact on our clients," Laurence said in a statement.
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon, bound for Ontario, California. But just 20 minutes later, the plane carrying 177 people had to make an emergency landing when the door panel bolted to replace the emergency exit door blew off in mid-air.
The plane returned safely to Portland International Airport, where several passengers were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
“While everyone is pleased that the crew was able to land the aircraft safely, this nightmare experience has had ongoing economic, physical and emotional consequences that have deeply affected our customers and are another worrying sign of the safety of the 737-MAX,” said attorney Laurence.
One passenger who signed the lawsuit said her head was shaken back and forth during the incident, causing a concussion, soft tissue injuries to her neck and back, and bleeding from one ear. She also said her oxygen mask did not appear to work.
Two other passengers said they had difficulty breathing. One said he started to lose consciousness. Another passenger said he suffered from a stress-induced seizure disorder and had a seizure after getting off the plane.
Boeing declined to comment on the lawsuit. In a statement earlier this week, the company said it supported the FAA's decision to ground the 737 MAX 9 and was "committed to ensuring that every Boeing airplane meets its design specifications and the highest safety and quality standards."
The FAA said Boeing is revising its inspection and maintenance manual, which needs to be approved by the agency before it can be applied to the 171 grounded 737 MAX 9s.
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