Air India fleet crisis escalates as Boeing 787 bound for New Delhi makes emergency u-turn

A New Delhi-bound Air India flight returned to Hong Kong mid-air due to a suspected technical issue, days after a fatal crash involving the airline.

An Air India flight from Hong Kong to New Delhi was forced to return to its departure city after the pilot suspected a technical problem mid-flight.

Air India flight bound for New Delhi forced to make a u-turn

The incident, involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as flight AI315, took place on Sunday, 15 June 2025, and comes just days after a deadly crash involving another aircraft from the same airline.

The plane took off from Hong Kong International Airport at 08:50 (02:50 SAST on Monday, 16 June 2025), more than three hours behind schedule.

Around 13:00 (07:00 SAST), the pilot contacted air traffic control to report a technical issue and requested emergency support on the ground. The plane landed safely back in Hong Kong at 13:15 (07:15 SAST), after spending one hour and 19 minutes in the air, per Live Mint.

The Hong Kong Airport Authority confirmed the request for a “local standby” – a precautionary measure that ensures fire and rescue teams are ready in case of an emergency landing.

The flight is now undergoing inspections. According to an Air India spokesperson, alternative arrangements have been made to fly the affected passengers to New Delhi as soon as possible.

Air India’s reputation hangs in the balance

This incident occurred just three days after flight AI171 crashed in Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 passengers and crew, and eight people on the ground. Only one passenger, a British man named Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash.

He was seated in 11A and is currently recovering in hospital.

The crash has drawn global attention and raised serious questions about Air India’s aircraft maintenance and safety protocols. Investigators have since recovered the plane’s black box, which stores flight data and cockpit audio.

This device is expected to provide critical information to help experts determine the cause of the crash.

Authorities in India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, along with Boeing – the manufacturer of the aircraft – are working together in the investigation.

India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, described the black box recovery as a key step in understanding the disaster.

Following the crash, India’s aviation regulator has ordered detailed safety checks on all Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in Air India’s fleet. The checks focus on specific parts of the aircraft such as engines, flaps, and landing gear – all of which are suspected to have played a role in the recent accident.