Dreamliner Crash in India is Latest New Nightmare for Boeing

Shares of Boeing – the US aircraft giant – plunged prior to the opening of US markets on Thursday after a 787 Dreamliner purchased by Air India crashed shortly after take-off in the western city of Ahmedabad.

The plane, which was carrying 232 passengers and 12 crew, exploded after coming down at about 1.40pm local time. It is the first air crash involving a Boeing 787, which had yet to experience a fatal incident.

Flight AI171 was carrying 169 Indian nationals, plus 53 British citizens en route to Gatwick. Local media reports said at least 110 people had died, and the toll could go much higher, as the plane crashed into a doctors’ hostel in a civilian area not far from the airport.

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A crowd of onlookers watch rescue crews looking for survivors after the plane crash in Ahmedabad (India CISF via X).

Engine problems

Analysts said the Boeing 787 has had widespread problems with engines, which has forced airlines to ground planes and reduce flights, but its safety record in service to date has been good.

But the Federal Aviation Administration, which is the US safety regulator, had had to investigate a LATAM flight that suffered a mid-air dive last year, plus other concerns.

A former engineer turned whistleblower urged Boeing last year to ground all 787 Dreamliners worldwide after claiming that the planes had structural failings that could eventually cause them to fall apart.

However, Boeing – which endured two fatal crashes of its 737 Max planes in 2018 and 2019, and the subsequent grounding of the Max fleet for long periods – rejected the claims and said it was fully confident in the Dreamliner.

There are more than 1,100 787s in service worldwide, which have been purchased by most major international airlines. The model has been well-rated because it has good fuel efficiency and is less noisy than older jets.

‘Many’ killed in Ahmedabad

India’s federal health minister said that “many people” perished in the Air India crash.

“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told reporters.

The 242 people on the plane included 217 adults and 11 children, a source told Reuters. Aside from the 169 Indians and 53 Britons, the jet also carried seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said.

Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service.

“At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates,” Air India said on X. “The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.”

One TV channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge jet of fire rising into the sky from beyond the houses.

Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport. They also showed people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances.

According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39pm (0809 GMT) from runway 23. It gave a “Mayday” call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft.

Flightradar24 also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off.

“The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB,” it said.

Boeing said it is aware of initial reports and was working to gather more information. Boeing shares fell 6.8% to $199.13 in initial pre-market trade.

LIVE VIDEO

Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today#Ahmedabadplanecrash #london #planecrash #Ahmedabad #AirIndia pic.twitter.com/XFKVYVPf5k

— Vijaykumar Desai (@KumarVijayDesai) June 12, 2025

Wreckage | Gujarat | Wreckage of Air India AI-171 flight, which crash landed on a building soon after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport today pic.twitter.com/C3w1elgfZ1

— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2025

Airport run by Adani Group in Modi’s home state

Britain is working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country’s foreign office said in a statement posted on its website.

The Indian aviation minister’s office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately.

All relevant agencies were on high alert and coordinated efforts were underway, the aviation minister’s office added.

Ahmedabad is the main city in Modi’s home state of Gujarat.

Ahmedabad airport said it had suspended all flight operations with immediate effect. The airport is operated by India’s Adani Group conglomerate.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171,” Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the group, posted on X.

“Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground,” he said.

The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost arm. The airline’s Boeing-737 overshot a “table-top” runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground. Some 21 people were killed in that crash.

The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022 and merged with Vistara – a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024.

Tata said an emergency centre had been activated and a support team set up for families seeking information.