In a recent development, it has been revealed that passengers aboard an Alaska Airlines flight, which experienced a panel blowout midair, may have become victims of a crime. According to a letter obtained by CBS News, the FBI has initiated an investigation into the incident, sending a two-page letter to the 174 passengers and potentially six crew members on Flight No. 1282 that was en route from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California on January 5.

"We have identified you as a possible victim of a crime," stated the FBI letter, which was sent by a victim specialist from the Seattle Division of the FBI. The agency emphasized that the case is currently under investigation and cautioned that due to various reasons, they are unable to disclose any details about the progress of the investigation at this time.

Highlighting the magnitude of potential victims in this case, the FBI noted in the letter that there are a "large number of potential victims." The letter also provided information on how the affected passengers could access updates about the case while acknowledging that criminal investigations can be lengthy proceedings.

The incident occurred when the plane was flying at approximately 16,000 feet, and a door plug blew off, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing at the Portland airport. In a lawsuit filed against Alaska Airlines, Boeing, and door plug manufacturer Spirit Aerosystems, one passenger recounted how the panel falling off caused physical injuries and inflicted "serious emotional distress, fear, and anxiety" upon him and six other passengers. The passenger credited his seatbelt for preventing him from being sucked out of the aircraft through the resulting hole.

In response to the incident, three passengers have filed a lawsuit seeking $1 billion in damages, alleging negligence on the part of Alaska Airlines and Boeing. While officials have reported minor injuries among several individuals, there were no serious casualties.

Notably, following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a temporary grounding of specific Boeing 737 Max 9 planes and mandated safety inspections for all such aircraft worldwide. Investigations conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board uncovered that four bolts, intended to secure the door plug in place, were missing.

Moreover, it has come to light that the U.S. Justice Department is separately conducting an investigation into the blowout. Although it is unclear if this inquiry is connected to the letter sent by the FBI Seattle office, a person familiar with the investigation confirmed its ongoing nature to CBS News.

As the FBI dives deeper into the circumstances surrounding the panel blowout incident on the Alaska Airlines flight, passengers eagerly await updates, seeking reassurance that justice will be served and further incidents prevented in the future.