At noon on June 12, Air India Flight 171 from Ahmedabad (India) to London crashed shortly after takeoff, slamming into a student hostel.
The cause of the deadliest accident of the past decade is still under investigation.
Of the 242 people on board, only one survived, while more than 33 others who were in the building at the time of the crash were also killed.
The aircraft? A Boeing 787.
(fyiteam)It is the first accident involving a Boeing 787 (or Dreamliner) since it entered service in 2011.
Currently, over 1,100 “787s” are flying worldwide, with most major airlines operating them.
The model offers better fuel efficiency and produces less noise compared to the aircrafts it replaced.
Since their release, airlines have frequently reported engine issues, while at least four former and current employees (whistleblowers*) have publicly raised concerns about construction and maintenance problems with the 787, sparking fears over its safety.
Boeing has rejected these claims, stating that the 787 is safe.
* A whistleblower is someone who exposes illegal, unethical, or abusive practices within organizations, companies, public services, etc.
All 737 MAX 8* aircraft were grounded worldwide for two years (2019–2020) after two similiar crashes within five months: in October 2018 in Indonesia (189 dead) and in March 2019 in Ethiopia (157 dead).
The cause was a faulty sensor that gave incorrect readings, leading pilots to lose control of the aircraft. The 737 MAX 8s returned to service after being redesigned.
* At least 7 whistleblowers had reported issues related to the 737 MAX.
(fyiteam)In 2021, the company was not criminally prosecuted for the deaths of the 346 people, after reaching a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, which included a $243.6 million fine.
However, the case was reopened after Boeing violated the terms of that agreement.
In May 2025, the company once again avoided prosecution by paying $1.1 billion — with only a portion of that amount going to the victims’ families, whose lawyers described the deal as “morally repugnant.”
In January 2024, U.S. authorities ordered the grounding of all 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the country for 20 days, following the detachment of a door during an Alaska Airlines flight.
Safety inspections revealed that, in some aircraft, certain components had been improperly installed — including loosely fastened bolts on panels, as was the case with the Alaska Airlines incident.
Authorities eventually allowed the planes to return to service but imposed production limits (38 737 MAX 9 aircraft per month).
Boeing recorded losses of $11.8 billion in 2024, bringing its total losses since 2019 to over $35 billion.
The problems were worsened by a two-month strike (2024) involving 33,000 workers at two of its factories in the U.S.
Although in the first quarter of 2025 Boeing reported a smaller loss ($31 million) compared to the previous year, and the CEO spoke of “stabilization,” the Air India crash caused the company’s stock to drop by 4% immediately after the accident.
(fyiteam)Safety inspections and strikes led to a 33% drop in Boeing’s commercial aircraft production — from 528 in 2023 to 348 in 2024.
At the same time, its main competitor, Airbus, delivered 766 commercial aircraft in 2023.
Nevertheless, Boeing’s problems haven’t discouraged its clients: last month, the company signed a $96 billion deal with Qatar Airlines.
Although both black boxes* have been found, there are still no official details about the cause of the crash.
According to initial information, investigations have focused on three parts of the Boeing 787: the engine, the wings, and the landing system.
At the same time, Air India’s aircraft maintenance protocol is also being examined, along with the possibility of human error.
*One records flight data, the other records pilot conversations to assist in accident analysis.
