AHMEDABAD, India (Diya TV) — A year before the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, whistleblowers had already raised serious concerns about Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner — the same model that went down Thursday.
Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer with nearly two decades of experience, accused the company in 2024 of ignoring safety threats in the Dreamliner’s structure. He told the U.S. Senate that tiny gaps and faulty assembly could weaken the fuselage over time, possibly causing it to fail midair.
“Rather than heeding his warnings,” Salehpour’s legal team claimed, “Boeing prioritized market speed over structural safety.” Salehpour also said the company sidelined him by moving him to the 777 project after he raised concerns.
Boeing denied the allegations. The company asserted that the Dreamliner met all regulatory standards. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened an investigation but later said the 787s in service complied with safety regulations.
Just months after Salehpour went public, another whistleblower came forward. Richard Cuevas, a contractor assigned to Spirit AeroSystems — the firm that builds Dreamliner fuselages — filed complaints with both the FAA and OSHA.
Cuevas warned about flaws in the forward pressure bulkhead, a structure critical for maintaining cabin pressure. His lawyers claimed Boeing and Spirit’s public safety assurances were misleading.
Cuevas said he was dismissed in March 2024 after flagging the issue. The FAA hasn’t issued a specific comment on his case, though it stated that all reports are taken seriously and investigated.
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad. The plane, headed to London Gatwick, fell into a residential area near Meghaninagar. Most of the 242 people onboard died, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian.
Ahmedabad Police later confirmed only one survivor: 38-year-old Ramesh Vishwakumar, who jumped from the emergency exit before impact. Authorities are still working to confirm the total death toll, which may include local residents due to the densely populated crash zone.
The crash has renewed scrutiny of Boeing. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who previously received whistleblower testimony, announced new hearings into what he described as Boeing’s “broken safety culture.”
The timing has increased pressure on Boeing, following earlier controversies involving the 737 Max. Critics argue that the company ignored internal red flags for years.
Boeing insists the 787 remains safe. The company said its composite materials reduce fatigue and corrosion and reaffirmed support for employee whistleblowing. “We continue to monitor safety concerns and encourage all employees to speak up,” it said.
But for the families mourning loved ones, and for the lone survivor, those reassurances come too late. The echoes of ignored warnings now ring louder than ever.
