Air India crash: Boeing responds after Ahmedabad Dreamliner incident

Boeing has responded to initial reports of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, saying it is working to gather more information about the incident.

The crash involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that went down in a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport just five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 pm local time.

In a brief statement, Boeing said, “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.” The timing of the incident is notable as it comes just days before the Paris Air Show, a key event in the aviation calendar where Boeing and Airbus typically compete for major aircraft deals.

The crash is another major incident for Boeing, which has faced ongoing scrutiny since two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max 8 aircraft in recent years.

In October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 on board. Five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed after taking off from Addis Ababa, claiming 157 lives.

The latest crash has had an immediate impact on Boeing’s market performance, with shares of Boeing Co tumbling by as much as 9% in pre-market trading in the US.

According to Air India, the London-bound flight was carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members. Among the passengers were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian.