Former KTN investigative reporter Dennis Onsarigo has detailed allegations about potential manufacturing defects in Boeing 737 aircraft that could be linked to the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash. The claims stem from a 2010 investigation by Al-Jazeera journalists, which reportedly found that Boeing may have used substandard assembly methods between 1996 and 2004.
Onsarigo described attending a Ghana-based meeting where Al-Jazeera presented findings showing that Boeing planes were manually assembled using ill-fitting parts during this period. The investigation suggested these practices created safety risks, with at least three crashes occurring shortly after takeoff by the time the report was produced.
The report highlighted that many of these aircraft were later purchased by African airlines due to their lower cost compared to new models. Onsarigo noted that wreckage from the Ethiopian Airlines crash reportedly showed the fuselage remained intact while other components separated, a pattern also observed in a previous Boeing 737 MAX incident five months prior.
While investigators continue to analyze flight data and wreckage, the allegations have reignited debates about aviation safety. Onsarigo, who covered the 2007 Kenya Airways crash, emphasized the unpredictability of air travel safety despite rigorous standards.
