An Air India flight bound for London was forced to abort take-off due to a suspected technical issue.
Flight AI2017, which was scheduled to depart Delhi for London on Thursday (31 July) was brought to a halt after the cockpit crew decided to “discontinue the take-off run”.
Passengers on board the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner were asked to disembark as precautionary checks were carried out. Air India later deployed an alternative aircraft to complete the journey to London.
An Air India spokesperson said: “Flight AI2017, operating from Delhi to London on 31 July, returned to the bay due to a suspected technical issue.
“The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the takeoff run following standard operating procedures and brought the aircraft back for precautionary checks.
“An alternative aircraft was deployed to fly the passengers to London.”
The incident comes just weeks after an Air India flight bound for London Gatwick struck a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad minutes after take-off, killing 241 people.
Indian aviation officials confirmed the pilot issued multiple distress calls before the Gatwick-bound flight crashed in Gujarat state on 12 June, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 more on the ground.
“Thrust not achieved… falling… Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” the pilot is reported to have said moments before the aircraft lost height and erupted in flames.
There were 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian, according to Air India.
Alongside the formal investigation, the Indian government has set up a high-level committee to examine the causes leading to the crash.
The committee will focus on formulating procedures to prevent and handle aircraft emergencies in the future, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
Air India and the government are looking at several aspects of the crash, including issues linked to its engine thrust, flaps, and why the landing gear remained open as the plane took off and then came down.
