Aviation safety campaigners in the United States say they have evidence a plane that crashed in India last year had previously suffered a series of technical failures, including an in-flight fire.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed on 12 June, shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad en route to London, killing 260 people.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety, a US campaign group, has sent a presentation to the US Senate outlining its findings, based on documents that have come into its possession.
The official investigation into the accident is ongoing. However, an interim report published in July sparked widespread speculation and controversy. Boeing declined to comment.
The aircraft involved, registered as VT-ANB, was one of the earliest 787s built and first entered service with Air India in early 2014. The Foundation for Aviation Safety states that the plane experienced system failures from its first day in service due to various engineering and maintenance issues.
In January 2022, the aircraft reported a fire in the P100 power distribution panel, damaging critical electrical systems.
The Foundation's report has been forwarded to the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which recently held hearings on Boeing's safety culture. As the investigation continues, the spotlight remains on the technical reliability of Boeing's 787 fleet.
