Several Boeing fuselages were thrown into the Clark Fork River in Montana when a train carrying a Boeing shipment from Wichita to Seattle derailed on Thursday.
The components — which included six complete 737 fuselages, as well as parts for a 777 and 747 — were en route to Boeing’s Washington state headquarters for final assembly after being manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems Holdings in Kansas.
The accident dumped two of the 737 fuselages into the river, leaving them partially submerged in water, while another came to rest on the river embankment just above the water’s surface. A fourth 737 fuselage that was damaged sat beside the tracks.
The train was reportedly traveling 31 mph in an area with a speed limit of 35 mph when the accident occurred.
Boeing personnel began working to extract the fuselages from the river over the weekend. The company says it is currently assessing the damage to determine what impact the accident will have on production timelines.
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