Plane With 242 Onboard Crashes Minutes After Departure; Boeing Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Safety
In a major setback for Boeing, shares of the American aerospace giant fell by 8% in premarket U.S. trading on Thursday after an Air India aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 242 passengers and was en route to Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom.
According to aviation tracking site Flightradar24, the Dreamliner — considered one of the most modern jets in commercial aviation — went down in a civilian area near the airport. Authorities have yet to confirm any fatalities or the precise cause of the crash.
Air India acknowledged the incident and stated that an investigation is underway. Meanwhile, Boeing issued a brief statement confirming it is aware of initial reports and is actively working to gather more details.
This incident comes at a particularly sensitive time for Boeing, as it seeks to regain public and industry trust following past safety concerns and production delays. Under the leadership of new CEO Kelly Orthberg, the company has been attempting to ramp up aircraft output and restore confidence in its engineering.
“It’s a knee-jerk reaction to the incident,” said Chris Beauchamp, an analyst at IG Group. “There’s renewed fear surrounding the problems that have plagued Boeing aircraft in recent years.”
As of Thursday, Boeing’s stock was trading at $196.52 — reflecting growing investor concerns about the company’s ability to manage safety challenges and uphold its reputation in the global aviation market.
