Boeing says working around the clock on 787 issue

Boeing Co on Thursday said it was working around the clock to resolve issues that have grounded the entire global fleet of the company's new 787 Dreamliner for over eight days, and underscored its regret about the issue.

Boeing said it welcomed Thursday's briefing on the 787 investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and said it continued to assist the NTSB and the other government agencies investigating two recent 787 incidents.

"The company has formed teams consisting of hundreds of engineering and technical experts who are working around the clock with the sole focus of resolving the issue and returning the 787 fleet to flight status," said Boeing spokesman John Dern.

"The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority," Dern said.

He said the company was not permitted to comment directly on the ongoing investigations, but said Boeing was eager to see investigators continue their work and determine the cause of these battery issues.

"Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and their passengers," Dern said.

(Reporting By Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Gary Hill)