PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: A Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff in India, reportedly exploding and killing all 242 people on board.
👥 Who’s Involved: The aircraft was operated by Air India, with passengers including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.
📍 Where & When: The crash occurred in the Meghani Nagar area near Ahmedabad Airport at 1:38 PM local time (9:08 AM BST).
💬 Key Quote: A Boeing spokesman stated, “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
⚠️ Impact: Boeing’s shares fell as much as eight percent in pre-market trading, and this marks the first crash involving the 787 Dreamliner model.
IN FULL:
Shares in Boeing dropped sharply in pre-market trading on Thursday after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in India, reportedly exploding and leaving no survivors among the 242 people on board.
The flight, operated by Air India and bound for London Gatwick Airport, took off from Ahmedabad Airport before crashing in the Meghani Nagar area at 1:38 PM local time. According to Air India, 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese were among the passengers.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, director general of India’s Directorate of Civil Aviation, confirmed the timing and location of the tragic incident.
A Boeing spokesman commented, “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
This incident marks the first crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model that first entered service in 2013. However, the aircraft faced issues early on, with its fleet temporarily grounded in 2013 due to fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in its power system.
The crash has reignited scrutiny of Boeing’s safety record, following high-profile incidents in recent years. In 2018, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max crashed, killing 189 people, and in 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crash claimed 157 lives. Both incidents led to the grounding of the 737 Max fleet worldwide.
Boeing’s shares fell by up to eight percent in pre-market trading on Thursday as news of the crash spread. The 787 Dreamliner is used by major airlines including British Airways, United Airlines, and Qatar Airways.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
BREAKING:
A London-bound Air India Flight 171 has crashed into a residential area minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, India.
The Boeing 787-8 was carrying 242 passengers and crew pic.twitter.com/3BEOCmXLXd
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 12, 2025