US President Donald Trump spoke about the Air India plane crash that happened on Thursday in Ahmedabad. He said the accident was very tragic and promised help. "It was a horrible accident. Anything we can do, we will do," Trump said during a press conference in Washington DC.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had 242 people on board, 232 passengers and 10 crew members. It crashed just after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport while en route to London. It is one of the worst air accidents in history.

“Horrific… looked like engine failure”

President Trump called the crash “a horrible accident” and said the US is ready to help. “India is a strong country, and I’m sure they’ll handle it, but I told them we’re here if needed,” he said. Trump mentioned that most people may have died, though there could be a few survivors. “There was no sign of an explosion. The plane seemed fine, but it looked like the engines lost power. It’s one of the worst crashes in aviation history,” he added.

Boeing under pressure

This recent Air India plane crash has increased pressure on American aircraft maker Boeing, which is already facing global criticism over safety and production issues. The company’s new CEO has been working to rebuild public trust, but this crash involving the Dreamliner 787-8 has raised serious concerns. Right now, the cause of the crash is unknown, and only a proper investigation will reveal what went wrong on the Ahmedabad-to-London flight. 

After the crash, Boeing’s stock dropped by 4.9%. Shares of Spirit AeroSystems, a key parts supplier, and GE Aerospace, which makes the plane’s engines, also fell by about 2%. This is the first fatal crash involving a 787 aircraft. In 2013, the model was briefly grounded over battery problems, but no injuries were reported. Boeing’s 737 MAX jets, however, have faced even more trouble after two fatal crashes and ongoing quality issues. Just last year, a door panel came off mid-flight on a 737 MAX 9, once again raising questions about the company’s safety standards.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company is deeply sorry for the loss of lives in the Air India Flight 171 crash.
 “Our thoughts are with the families of the passengers, crew, and everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” he said.
Ortberg added that he has spoken to Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran and offered full support. He said a Boeing team is ready to help with the investigation being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.