Air India Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Midair Technical Issue

• An Air India flight returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff on Monday due to a midair technical issue, just days after a devastating crash involving another of the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliners
• The Ahmedabad crash, which claimed at least 270 lives, has raised concerns about the safety of Air India's fleet and prompted additional inspections of the carrier's Boeing 787 aircraft
• Despite the incidents, authorities have not recommended grounding the Boeing 787, a widely used aircraft with more than 360 units in operation worldwide

An Air India flight bound for New Delhi returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff on Monday, June 17, 2025, due to a midair "technical issue," the airline confirmed.

The incident occurred just four days after another Air India flight crashed, resulting in at least 270 fatalities.

Air India: Boeing 787 Dreamliner faces setback

Flight AI315, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, departed from Hong Kong but was forced to turn back as a precautionary measure. Air India stated that the aircraft landed safely and was undergoing necessary checks "as a matter of abundant precaution."

The Airport Authority Hong Kong confirmed that the flight returned to the airport at approximately 1 p.m. local time.

The latest Air India incident comes days after flight AI171, also a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed in Ahmedabad, India. The aircraft struck a medical college hostel minutes after departing, leading to the deaths of 241 passengers and at least 29 people on the ground. A British national was reported as the sole survivor.

Air India: Authorities order additional safety checks

In response to the Ahmedabad crash, Indian aviation authorities have instructed Air India to conduct extra safety inspections on all Boeing 787 aircraft operated by the airline. However, officials and Boeing have not recommended grounding the fleet at this time.

Air India, the nation’s flag carrier, assured affected passengers on Monday’s flight that alternative arrangements were being made to transport them to their final destination as soon as possible.

Air India: Boeing 787 in global operation

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner remains widely used, with more than 360 aircraft in service worldwide. American Airlines operates the largest number of these planes compared to other carriers.

The recent incidents involving Air India’s fleet have raised concerns over the reliability and safety of the Boeing 787 model, prompting further scrutiny from aviation authorities.

Air India: Victims' remains handed to families

Legit.ng earlier reported that mourners in India gathered to pay their last respects to those killed in one of the world’s worst aviation disasters in decades.

White coffins were covered with flowers as grieving families held funerals for some of the at least 279 victims of the Air India plane crash. Health officials in Ahmedabad have begun handing over the first passenger bodies identified through DNA testing. However, for most families, the wait continued.

"They said it would take 48 hours. But it's been four days and we haven't received any response," said Rinal Christian, 23, whose elder brother was among the passengers.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng