BOEING’s safety crisis deepened as it was revealed debris was found in the fuel tanks of 70 per cent of grounded 737 Max jets inspected so far.
The brand new planes are sitting unused after they were banned from flying across the world in the wake of two deadly crashes.
The company has halted production but has around 400 Maxes made in the last year that can’t be delivered to airlines.
Last week an internal Boeing memo said foreign objects had been found in the tanks of “several” parked planes during maintenance.
These include rags, tools, metal shavings and other materials left behind by workers during the production process – and raise the risk of a fire during flight, according to reports.
Last night Boeing gave an update and said debris had been found in 35 out of 50 planes inspected.
The company said it immediately made corrections in its production system to prevent a recurrence. Those steps include more inspections before fuel tanks are sealed.
“This is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated on any Boeing aircraft when it’s delivered to the customer,” the company said in a statement.
It added it did not know how many jets would be affected until all 400 had been inspected.
Boeing has previously said it did “not see the issue” in further delaying the jet’s return to service.
It wants the Federal Aviation Administration to certify the plane to fly again this summer.
The FAA said it was aware Boeing was inspecting undelivered planes and was increasing surveillance.
Boeing has been plagued by past concerns about debris left behind in finished planes including 787 Dreamliners and KC-46 tankers.
The manufacturer is still reeling from the crisis surrounding the Max, a new version of its hugely popular short-haul 737.
They were grounded last March after an Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed killing all 157 on board.
It was the second disaster after 189 died on a Lion Air flight in Indonesia.
Crash investigators suspect high-tech MCAS software forced the planes to nosedive to correct a non-existent stall.
It emerged the potential problem with the flights control system was known by Boeing and regulators but pilots were not warned or given training.
Worried Boeing workers thought the controversial 737 Max passenger jet was “designed by clowns”— damning internal communications reveal.
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The highly-revealing messages show employees slamming the plane, their bosses and the FAA.
In one exchange — before the first of the two deadly crashes — an unnamed employee asked: “Would you put your family on a Max simulator trained aircraft? I wouldn’t.”
Another fumed: “This airplane is designed by clowns who in turn are supervised by monkeys.”
Boeing boss Dennis Muilenburg had to quit in the wake of the disasters.
