The FBI has joined the criminal investigation into the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX-8, according to reports.
A Washington, D.C-based federal grand jury investigation is looking into the certification process that approved the safety of the new Boeing aircraft.
Global operations of the aircraft have been suspended following the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crash near Addis Ababa, in which 157 people died, earlier this month.
The incident was the second accident in five months, following a Lion Air crash in October 2018.
The investigation, which is being overseen by the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division and carried out by the Transportation Department’s Inspector General, began this week.
The development was first reported in the Seattle Times and comes after federal agents told employees at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Seattle office to retain documents relating to the approval process for the 737 Max.
