Hello and welcome to 4PM News Network. I am Aditi. Today, sensational details have emerged regarding the Air India flight crash. The ill-fated aircraft was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, flight number AI171, which took off from Ahmedabad for London at 1:38 PM on Thursday. Merely two minutes after takeoff, at 1:40 PM, the plane crashed. Among the 242 passengers onboard was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is considered one of the most controversial aircraft in aviation history. The model has faced numerous allegations and was even grounded worldwide for three months due to safety concerns. In fact, an engineer who exposed these flaws mysteriously died last year.

What are the controversies surrounding the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner? Why have over 6,000 Boeing flights crashed so far? Stay with us as we uncover all the details.

The Dreamliner is renowned for its fuel efficiency and luxurious travel experience. However, its safety record has always been under scrutiny. After repeated incidents, a global ban was imposed on these flights for three months. The main issue stemmed from lithium-ion batteries, which were prone to catching fire. In January 2013, two newly inducted Dreamliners in Japanese airlines caught fire—one while parked at Boston airport and another mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing. Following these incidents, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all Dreamliners worldwide for three months.

Boeing subsequently made improvements to its battery systems and insulation. Yet, complaints about gaps in the aircraft body persisted. Boeing admitted to these flaws and, between 2020 and 2022, several manufacturing defects were reported. The Dreamliner, a wide-body passenger plane with high capacity, is assembled from parts produced by various companies. This process sometimes results in improper fitting and gaps in the aircraft body, especially at the joints of carbon fiber components.

Due to these issues, Boeing halted Dreamliner deliveries from 2020 to 2022, and the FAA tightened its oversight. Some aircraft projects were even transferred to other companies for completion. Boeing acknowledged these manufacturing errors and promised rectification.

In April 2024, a whistleblower working at Boeing alleged that some Dreamliner components were not properly joined and could potentially break apart mid-flight. The whistleblower, engineer Sam Saleh, who had worked with Boeing for over ten years, told The New York Times that changes in assembly methods led to these problems. He claimed that parts made by different companies often did not fit together correctly, increasing the risk of structural failure during flight. Despite repeated warnings from engineers, Boeing allegedly ignored these concerns.

Another whistleblower who raised safety issues died under mysterious circumstances. Several Boeing engineers have accused the company of prioritizing profits over safety, focusing more on reducing fuel costs than passenger security. John Vernet, a long-time Boeing employee, questioned the safety of the 787 Dreamliner in 2024, but he too died under suspicious conditions near his home.

These controversies led to a three-month grounding of the Dreamliner by US authorities. Will any concrete action be taken now? Will the Indian government consider banning Boeing or initiate talks with the company about aircraft design and manufacturing? The coming days will be crucial.

As for now, the crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, has resulted in an irreplaceable loss of life. The aftermath of this tragedy will be felt for years to come.

What are your thoughts on this report and the shocking revelations about Boeing? Please share your views in the comments. If you found this report informative, don’t forget to share it.