FBI: Alaska Airlines passengers may be victims of a crime after Boeing blowout

Driving the news: "This case is currently under investigation by the FBI," according to a letter sent by the FBI field office in Seattle to passengers who were on the flight when the blowout occurred in January.

• Mark Lindquist, an attorney representing 27 passengers from Alaska Airlines flight 1282, shared a copy of the letter with Axios.
• It states that the recipient may be a "possible victim of a crime."
• Lindquist told Axios that his clients began receiving the letters on Tuesday.

What they're saying: "Quite frankly, the Department of Justice brings a hammer that the NTSB and the FAA do not have," he said. "Criminal charges are a major hammer."

• "We want answers. We want accountability. We want safer Boeing planes," Lindquist said.

The FBI's Seattle field office would neither confirm nor deny the investigation in response to a request from Axios.

The big picture: Boeing, one of the world's largest aerospace manufacturers, has seen its bottomline and reputation damaged as a result of the door plug blowout.

• The FAA said earlier this month that its audit of Boeing's 737 Max production line unveiled numerous issues with the company's production process.
• The NTSB has said that preliminary findings indicate that missing bolts likely contributed to the blowout incident.

Go deeper: Boeing timeline: Tracking the fallout of the door plug blowout