Air India flight en route to Delhi from Hong Kong made an emergency landing after the pilot suspected a technical problem in the plane. The flight returned to Hong Kong after the pilot suspected a technical fault in mid-air.
“AI315 operating from Hong Kong to Delhi on 16 June 2025 air returned to Hong Kong shortly after take off due to a technical issue. The flight landed safely at Hong Kong and is undergoing checks as a matter of abundant precaution,” Air India said in a statement.
“Alternative arrangements have been planned to fly the passengers to their destination, Delhi, at the earliest. We are providing all necessary on-ground assistance to the passengers to minimise the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption,” it added.
Flight AI315, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had departed Hong Kong for Delhi but returned to its origin as a precautionary measure.
Read more: ‘Many killed’ as Air India plane with 242 on board crashes near India’s Ahmedabad airport
The incident came a few days after the London-bound Air India Airlines crashed soon after take-off. All 242 passengers on board died. Only one passenger miraculously survived.
The investigation to investigate the reasons for the crash is underway. The plane was headed to London‘s Gatwick airport in the UK, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a civilian area near the airport.
The 242 people included 217 adults and 11 children, a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, the airline said.
Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service.
“At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates,” Air India said on X.
The crash occurred just after the aircraft took off, television channels reported. One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge cloud of fire rose into the sky from beyond the houses.