Air India Flight AI171 Crashes Just 5 Minutes After Takeoff in Ahmedabad
At 1:38 pm on June 12, the Air India flight carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew from Ahmedabad to London crashed just minutes after takeoff, outside the Ahmedabad airport. Videos from the crash site showed a massive fireball erupting moments after the incident in Meghaninagar.
Casualties and Investigation
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been identified or ascertained. The AI171 flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was powered by twin jet engines and the aircraft is currently operating around the world. Air India 171 marks the first significant accident involving a 787-8 flight.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
First launched in 2008, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was designed to improve efficiency by using advanced carbon composite structures and improved aerodynamics. It took on a significant jump in fuel efficiency, allowing for non-stop routes between cities with fewer passengers than planes like the Boeing 777 or 747.
Unfortunately, the 787-8 has a checkered history. In 2018 and 2019, two crashes involving the 737 MAX机型导致346人死亡。随后,美国联邦航空局局长布赖恩·贝德福德(Bryan Bedford)誓言要追究波音的责任,因为这些事故与一个关键安全系统相关,该系统造成了多次致命的飞机失事。