Boeing 787s Under Scrutiny After Ahmedabad Crash: Aviation Minister Orders Extended DGCA Inspections

New Delhi, June 14, 2025 — In the wake of the catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced an urgent expansion of safety inspections across the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet in India.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Naidu confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an order for extended surveillance of all Boeing 787 aircraft operating under Indian carriers. “We have very strict safety standards in the country,” he said, noting that eight of the 34 Dreamliners in service have already been inspected. “With immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done.”

The AI-171 flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London, tragically crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad International Airport on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 passengers on board. Only one person survived. The crash has prompted national shock and an expansive investigation.

Naidu said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had been activated right away and recovered the aircraft’s black box from the crash site on Friday. “This decoding is expected to provide an in-depth insight into what happened during or just before the crash,” he said.

He also expressed personal grief while sharing that he had lost his father in a road accident, saying, “I can understand the anguish families are feeling.” He praised the swift response by Gujarat authorities, noting that he personally rushed to the crash site soon after the tragedy.

As part of the broader response, the Central government has constituted a high-level multidisciplinary committee to probe the causes of the crash. The AAIB is spearheading the technical investigation.

Meanwhile, Naidu assured that all necessary help was being extended to the families of the deceased. He said Air India has been directed to support them in every possible way, including assisting with DNA testing to identify the bodies and hand them over to their relatives. “There will be no lapse in following proper procedures or protocol,” he added.

The Civil Aviation Ministry’s swift action to inspect the entire Dreamliner fleet indicates a heightened focus on passenger safety and regulatory oversight in the aftermath of one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent memory.