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A tragic air accident unfolded in Ahmedabad on June 12, when Air India’s London-bound Flight AI-171, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft had just lifted off from Runway 23 at 1:39 pm IST (08:09 UTC) when it plummeted to the ground, bursting into flames outside the airport perimeter.

On board were 242 people, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with co-pilot Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. A distress call — a 'mayday' — was reportedly made, but Air Traffic Control received no further communication.

Rescue teams and investigators are currently on site. Information about casualties or survivors is still awaited.

While this was the first 787 DreamLiner crash in the world, a whistleblower account from 2024 had a chilling foreshadowing of today's incident. 

Whistleblower’s Chilling Warning: “Hundreds Could Die”

Over a year before the Ahmedabad crash, damning allegations had emerged in the US about potential structural failures in Boeing’s 787 fleet. In April 2024, Sam Salehpour, a Boeing quality engineer, testified before a US Senate subcommittee that production shortcuts and quality lapses in the Dreamliner could lead to the aircraft “breaking apart” after repeated trips.

In his testimony, Salehpour warned: “If not addressed, [these issues] could result in a catastrophic failure of a commercial airplane that would lead to the loss of hundreds of lives.”

According to Salehpour, gaps between key sections of the 787 fuselage — affecting over 1,000 jets already in service — were likely to cause “premature fatigue failure over time in two major airplane joints.” He further alleged that when he attempted to raise safety concerns, he was met with threats and intimidation. “I was told, frankly, to shut up,” he stated.

Boeing Under Fire As Safety Culture Questioned

The allegations cast a harsh spotlight on Boeing’s internal practices and safety protocols. Salehpour claimed there was “no safety culture” at the company and that whistleblowers were routinely “ignored, marginalised, threatened, sidelined and worse.”

Another expert witness, Ed Pierson — a former Boeing engineer and now the head of the Foundation for Aviation Safety — accused the company of a “criminal cover-up” involving incomplete records in the aftermath of a separate Alaska Airlines cabin blowout incident earlier this year. “Records do exist … and Boeing’s corporate leaders know it, too,” Pierson told the Senate, claiming he personally handed relevant documents to the FBI.

While Boeing has denied the accusations, insisting its aircraft, including the 787 and 777, remain safe, the Federal Aviation Administration is actively investigating the claims. Boeing, in response, said it has “taken important steps to foster a safety culture” since 2020 and is “taking action across our company.”

CEO Summoned, Reforms Promised But Trust Wavers

Boeing CEO David Calhoun was summoned to testify before the Senate subcommittee next week. Amid the growing storm, both Calhoun and board chair Larry Kellner have announced plans to resign.

Despite Boeing’s reassurances, Salehpour urged that all 787 jets be grounded for immediate inspection. “I believe that Boeing can do better and that the public’s trust in Boeing can be restored,” he said. “I hope that this committee will hold Boeing accountable and demand an end to a business culture that prioritises profit and speed over safety.”

With the crash in Ahmedabad, these safety concerns have taken on even more urgency — especially for passengers and airlines relying on Boeing's wide-body jets for long-haul routes.