Ahmedabad: The afternoon of June 12, 2025, etched itself into aviation history with a tragedy that sent shockwaves across the globe. Air India flight AI-171, bound for London, met a catastrophic end shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including a significant number of Indian and British nationals, slammed into a medical college hostel, leaving only one survivor from the 242 individuals on board.
The horrific incident, involving the modern and supposedly highly efficient aircraft registered as VT-ANB, immediately triggered a sharp downturn in Boeing Co.’s fortunes. In premarket US trading, the American planemaker’s shares plummeted over eight per cent, reaching $196.52. This dramatic fall plunged Boeing back into a familiar crisis mode, just as it was gearing up to showcase a much-anticipated recovery at the upcoming Paris Air Show.
The timing of the crash could not have been worse for Boeing, a company that has been diligently working to rebuild trust in its aircraft following a string of safety controversies. Under the leadership of new CEO Kelly Orthberg, efforts were underway to ramp up production and restore public confidence. Boeing, in a brief statement, acknowledged being “aware of initial reports” and committed to gathering more information. However, the damage to its image was immediate and palpable.
Market analysts were quick to react to the unfolding crisis. Chris Beauchamp, an analyst at IG Group, described the stock market’s response as a “knee-jerk reaction” to the incident. He further elaborated that the crash had effectively “revived fears of the problems that plagued Boeing aircraft and the company itself in recent years,” casting a long shadow over its path to recovery.
Read More: Arunachal: Two IRBn Personnel Suspended After NDPS Arrest in Siang