Air India has stated that its Boeing aircraft was in good condition before last week’s fatal crash that killed all but one of the 242 people onboard.
Authorities in India have yet to reveal the cause of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s crash, which also left at least 38 people dead on the ground in the western city of Ahmedabad.
As investigators work to recover information from the plane’s black boxes—which include the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder—Air India insisted there were no prior issues with the aircraft.
In a statement released Thursday, the airline confirmed, “The aircraft was well-maintained, with its most recent major service conducted in June 2023. The right engine underwent an overhaul in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Routine monitoring of the aircraft and its engines indicated no problems before the flight.”
The plane, which was heading for London, erupted into flames after crashing into a residential area in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff.
India’s civil aviation authority announced earlier this week that initial inspections of Air India’s fleet of Dreamliners found no significant safety issues following the disaster. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau reported that the inquiry is “progressing steadily.”
“Essential recovery work, such as site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now ongoing,” the bureau said Thursday.
The ill-fated flight was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese passengers, one Canadian, and 12 crew members. Air India praised the professionalism of the cockpit crew.
“Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who commanded the flight, was a veteran pilot and trainer with more than 10,000 flight hours on wide-body aircraft,” the airline said. “First Officer Clive Kunder also had considerable experience, with over 3,400 flight hours.”
While the investigation moves forward, many families continue to wait for the identification of their loved ones. According to state health minister Rushikesh Patel, 210 victims have so far been identified through DNA analysis.
