🚨 **Breaking News:** Italian prosecutors have accused seven individuals and two sub-contractors of fraud and breaching airplane safety rules in a major investigation involving Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. 🌍
The investigation began in late 2021 after Boeing revealed that certain parts for its 787 Dreamliner, supplied by a company working with Italian aerospace giant Leonardo, were improperly manufactured. 🛩️
According to prosecutors, the two Italian sub-contractors used cheaper and non-compliant forms of titanium and aluminium to produce parts, significantly cutting raw material costs. This cost-saving measure led to the creation of airplane components with reduced static and stress resistance, posing serious safety risks. ⚠️
\"This resulted in the realization of airplane parts with significantly lower static and stress resistance characteristics, with repercussions on aviation safety,\" stated prosecutors in Brindisi.
Sources revealed that the former Leonardo supplier Manufacturing Process Specification (MPS) and its bankrupt predecessor, Processi Speciali, are at the heart of the probe. Antonio Ingrosso, owner of MPS, and his father Vincenzo, who led Processi Speciali, are among the seven individuals charged. 👨🔧👨🔧
Both men, represented by their lawyer, maintain that they acted fully within the law. The accused and the sub-contractors will have the opportunity to present new evidence in their defense before prosecutors decide on whether to move forward with a trial.
Aerospace experts collaborating with prosecutors have identified at least 4,829 non-compliant titanium components and 1,158 aluminium components. These defective parts could potentially compromise aircraft safety, leading Boeing to consider an extraordinary maintenance campaign for the affected planes. 🛠️✨
Boeing and Leonardo have been cooperative with the investigation, standing as victims of the alleged crimes.
