Boeing Co’s shares fell more than 7% in pre-market trading on Thursday following the tragic crash of an Air India-operated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad. The crash, which took place just minutes after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, has reignited longstanding concerns about the safety of Boeing’s wide-body aircraft.
The aircraft, operating as flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and three infants. A mayday call was issued shortly after take-off, but communication was lost soon after. The plane crashed near Meghaninagar, outside the airport perimeter, triggering a massive fire and prompting immediate emergency response.
Authorities deployed seven fire tenders and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, while injured passengers were rushed to local hospitals via emergency green corridors. Officials are now focused on retrieving and analyzing the flight data and cockpit voice recorders to determine the cause of the crash.
The timing of the incident is especially damaging for Boeing. Already facing intense regulatory and public scrutiny over previous technical failures — especially those involving its 737 MAX and earlier 787 models — this latest crash further undermines confidence in the company's safety record.
The sharp decline in Boeing’s stock price reflects investor concern over renewed regulatory pressure, possible legal liabilities, and reputational damage. Investigations are underway, and political leaders have demanded transparency and accountability.
As of Thursday evening, casualty figures had not been officially confirmed.
