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| Air India crashes /photo/AFP |
US President Donald Trump has expressed his condolences and offered assistance following the crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after its departure from Ahmedabad, which resulted in the deaths of nearly all 242 individuals on board.
The flight, destined for London, was carrying 232 passengers along with 10 crew members, marking this event as one of the most tragic aviation disasters in history.
During a press conference in Washington DC, President Trump referred to the event as "horrific" and confirmed that the United States is prepared to help in any capacity necessary. "It was a terrible accident. We will do whatever we can to assist," he remarked.
Trump mentioned that initial reports indicated the aircraft might have experienced a loss of engine power. "We observed the plane—it appeared to be flying well. There didn’t seem to be any explosion. It just looked like the engines might have lost power. That was a dreadful crash," he commented. Although there are indications of a few potential survivors, officials have not yet verified any identities or numbers.
This disaster places additional pressure on American aircraft manufacturer Boeing, which is already under significant scrutiny due to production challenges and previous safety issues. The Dreamliner 787-8 model had, up until this point, maintained an excellent safety record and had never been involved in a fatal incident.
Following the news of the crash, Boeing’s stock fell by nearly 5%, while shares of major suppliers such as Spirit AeroSystems and GE Aerospace—responsible for the plane’s engines—also saw a decline of approximately 2%. In a concise statement, Boeing acknowledged the incident and stated that it was in the process of gathering more information.
The 787 Dreamliner series encountered battery system issues in 2013, resulting in a temporary grounding, though no injuries were reported during that incident.
In contrast, Boeing's 737 MAX series has a more troubled past, marked by two fatal crashes that resulted in extensive grounding and production delays.
Currently, investigations into the Ahmedabad crash are ongoing, with aviation experts cautioning that uncovering the cause will require time. Possible factors in such incidents may include technical failures, pilot errors, environmental influences, or mechanical defects. As investigators work to reconstruct the final moments of the tragic flight, the focus remains on the safety standards governing modern commercial aviation.