Ahmedabad tragedy: India may ground Boeing 787-8s for safety probe

New Delhi: India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation is likely to carry out a safety review of the domestic fleet of Dreamliners, NDTV reported.

The thought follows Thursday’s horrific crash that claimed 241 lives aboard Air India Boeing 787-8 heading to London from Ahmedabad.

It is not yet known how vast the casualty on the ground is after the erratically coursing flight, after losing altitude, hit a doctors’ facility in the residential area.

The deadliest air crash in recent history has Indian aviation likely considering to ground all Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners as a precautionary measure.

This move comes just as initial inquiry is being carried out into safety concerns, with media reports citing experts suggesting multiple scenarios including bird hit or engines losing power.

Meanwhile, the stakeholders including the Tata Group carrier, Boeing India, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are in talks regarding grounding Dreamliners.

A final decision regarding this would be taken based on the talks even as authorities term maintaining rigorous safety standards and passenger safety as ‘non-negotiable’, according to the report.

Air India’s fleet of 787-8s are currently being used for long-haul international travel to destinations including UK, North America and the Middle East.

The crash comes just as the airline is waiting for another Dreamliner to arrive by the end of the year.

It is reported citing data from aviation consultant Cirium that over all there is an order for 20 additional 787s alongside a Letter of Intent for an additional 24 aircraft.

Also, the crash of the 12-year-old Dreamliner in all likelihood force global authorities to review the Dreamliner's safety protocols.

This is all the more so considering the reports of multiple safety incidents involving the aircraft over the last few years.