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Boeing's Dreamliner Nightmare Continues: Series of Midair Emergencies Raises Global Alarm
Shayak Majumder | June 17, 2025 11:11 AM CST

The streak of unsettling incidents involving Boeing 787 Dreamliners flying to India shows no signs of slowing. In the wake of the devastating Ahmedabad crash that killed over 270 people, at least four separate flights encountered technical issues or emergencies within days, forcing sudden flight diversions and raising fresh concerns over the aircraft's safety.

Air India Hong Kong-Delhi Flight Makes Swift U-Turn

On Monday, an Air India Boeing 787-8 en route to New Delhi was compelled to return to Hong Kong barely 15 minutes after takeoff. The crew cited a suspected technical issue and opted for an emergency turnaround as a precautionary move.

In an official statement, Air India confirmed that flight AI 315 returned due to "a technical issue," offering no further specifics.

According to recordings accessed by Reuters from air traffic control monitoring website LiveATC.net, one of the pilots informed air traffic controllers, "For technical reasons, sir, we would like to stay closer to Hong Kong. Maybe we will come back and land back into Hong Kong once we sort out the problem."

The aircraft landed safely, and passengers were accommodated on alternate arrangements to continue their journey to New Delhi. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 revealed that AI315 circled over the South China Sea before landing safely after an 85-minute flight.

British Airways London-Chennai Flight Disrupted Mid-Route

Just a day earlier, British Airways faced its own midair ordeal. A Dreamliner operating flight BA35 from London to Chennai was forced to return to Heathrow shortly after takeoff due to another technical glitch.

"The aircraft returned to Heathrow as a standard precaution after reports of a technical issue," British Airways said in a statement. The airline did not disclose further details such as the flight duration before its return or the nature of the malfunction. Flightradar24 data showed the plane circling multiple times over the Strait of Dover before making a safe landing after nearly two hours in the air.

Lufthansa Flight Turns Back After Bomb Threat

Meanwhile, a Lufthansa Dreamliner bound for Hyderabad was diverted back to Frankfurt following a bomb threat. Flight LH752 had departed from Frankfurt on Sunday afternoon and was well into its journey when authorities were alerted to a threat posted on social media.

"Out of an abundance of caution, Lufthansa flight LH752 from Frankfurt to Hyderabad returned to its point of departure after authorities were made aware of a bomb threat posted on social media," the airline said.

The flight, which was over the Black Sea at the time of diversion, returned to Frankfurt without incident after remaining airborne for almost four hours. Passengers were offered overnight accommodations and resumed their journey the next day.

Additional Incident Grounds San Francisco-Mumbai Flight In Kolkata

In another episode adding to the mounting list of Dreamliner troubles, an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai made an unscheduled stop at Kolkata Airport early Tuesday due to a technical snag in its left engine.

Reports indicate that flight AI180 arrived in Kolkata at 12:45 AM but could not proceed due to the issue. At approximately 5:20 AM, passengers were asked to deplane for safety reasons.

"The decision to deplane was made in the interest of flight safety," the pilot informed passengers.

Saudia Flight Scare in Lucknow

Separately, a Saudia (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines) flight carrying 242 Haj pilgrims from Jeddah to Lucknow experienced a scare as smoke was observed billowing from its wheels upon landing.

Airport rescue teams acted swiftly to contain the situation, averting any damage. "The Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting team rushed to the spot. Working with the Saudia team, the smoke was contained and damage to the aircraft was averted," sources told PTI.

Safety Under the Microscope

These successive incidents follow closely on the heels of the tragic Ahmedabad crash on June 12, which killed 241 of the 242 people onboard an Air India Dreamliner. Authorities have yet to release a final report on that crash, but early speculation has pointed to a possible double-engine failure.

In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) mandated immediate safety inspections of all 33 Dreamliners in Air India's fleet. Despite these precautionary checks, the string of recent events has only intensified public scrutiny over the Dreamliner series, once celebrated for its cutting-edge technology.

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