Italian prosecutors have accused seven individuals and two sub-contractors of crimes including fraud and breaching aircraft safety regulations following an investigation into suspected flawed parts produced by an Italian company for Boeing, Reuters reported.
The investigation, which began in late 2021, was launched after Boeing revealed that some parts for its 787 Dreamliner, supplied by a company working for Italian aerospace group Leonardo, had been improperly manufactured. According to the prosecutors, the investigation found that two Italian sub-contractors had used cheaper, non-compliant forms of titanium and aluminium to produce certain parts, allowing them to significantly reduce their raw material costs. The prosecutors did not name the sub-contractors, or the seven individuals involved.
“This resulted in the production of aircraft parts with significantly lower static and stress resistance characteristics, impacting aviation safety,” the prosecutors based in the southern city of Brindisi stated.
The seven individuals and two sub-contractors will now have an opportunity to present any new evidence in their defence before prosecutors decide whether to request a judge to proceed with a trial.
Aerospace experts working with the prosecutors certified that at least 4,829 non-compliant titanium components and 1,158 aluminium components were involved, according to the statement from the prosecutors.