An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner turned around and went back to its point of origin after takeoff, just days after the airline experienced a deadly crash that killed 241 people onboard.
Air India’s flight AI315 returned to Hong Kong on Monday as a precautionary measure due to “a technical issue,” the airline told Reuters. The flight was headed to New Delhi before it returned safely and underwent checks “as a matter of abundant precaution.”
Flight AI315 took off from Hong Kong around 12:20 p.m., reached an altitude of 22,000 feet and started descending, according to flight tracking website AirNav Radar. The plane is seven years old, Reuters reports.
One of the pilots told air traffic controllers about 15 minutes after takeoff that “for technical reasons, sir, we would like to stay closer to Hong Kong, maybe we will come back and land back into Hong Kong once we sort out the problem,” according to recordings from air traffic control monitoring website LiveATC.net reviewed by Reuters.
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“We don’t want to continue further,” the pilot said, before returning.
Air India’s Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff that last week’s plane crash should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism.
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There was only one survivor from Thursday’s Boeing 787-8 crash that happened shortly after take-off from the Indian city of Ahmedabad. The plane had been bound for London Gatwick Airport.
Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor, described his survival as a “miracle” while speaking to DD India.
“I can’t explain,” he said. “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared,” Ramesh erportedly told the Hindustan Times.
Ramesh told DD News that he “saw people dying,” reports indicate.
“Air India remains in mourning on the tragic loss of 241 passengers and crew members aboard flight AI171. Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and communities affected by the accident,” Air India posted to X on Sunday.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Reuters contributed to this report.
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