0
0
A British Airways flight from London to Chennai was forced to turn back mid-air after suffering a reported ‘flap failure’—just days after the same aircraft model was involved in the deadly Air India crash that killed all but one passenger.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight BA35, had been airborne for less than an hour when the pilot detected a suspected technical issue, according to MailOnline. The aircraft circled over the Strait of Dover for approximately an hour to dump fuel before safely returning to Heathrow Airport, where it landed at 1:50 p.m., flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows.
In a concerning coincidence, another Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner—this time operated by Air India and en route from Hong Kong to New Delhi—was also forced to turn back the same day due to a suspected technical fault.
These incidents have intensified scrutiny around the Boeing 787 model, especially following the release of a bombshell video from the recent Air India disaster. An aviation expert analyzing the footage claimed the plane experienced a “dual engine failure” before crashing, an accident that claimed the lives of 241 passengers.
British Airways confirmed to MailOnline that the return of the Chennai-bound aircraft was a precautionary measure and emphasized that it was not an emergency landing.
“The aircraft returned to Heathrow as a standard precaution after reports of a technical issue,” a BA spokesperson said. “The flight landed safely, with crew and customers disembarking as normal. Our teams worked hard to get their journeys back on track as soon as possible.”
A source familiar with the incident added that it is routine for aircraft to return to base if a technical issue is detected shortly after takeoff.
