NEW DELHI, India, July 3: Just 38 hours after the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad that claimed over 260 lives on 12 June, another aircraft from the same airline experienced a serious safety incident. A Boeing 777 operating as Flight AI187 from Delhi to Vienna reportedly lost approximately 900 feet in altitude shortly after takeoff and triggered multiple cockpit warnings, according to The Times of India.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 14 June, with the aircraft departing Delhi at 2:56 a.m. amidst thunderstorms. Flight tracking data shows that the aircraft descended unexpectedly, prompting critical alerts such as a “stall warning” and the “don’t sink” Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) caution—both indicators of an abnormal loss of lift and altitude that require immediate pilot intervention to prevent a crash.

Despite the scare, the flight was stabilized and continued to Vienna without further incident. However, both pilots have since been grounded as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator, investigates the event. The regulator has also summoned Air India’s head of safety for questioning.

Officials familiar with the matter revealed that multiple warnings were issued during the flight’s climb phase. “Soon after takeoff, the aircraft experienced stick shaker warnings and GPWS ‘don’t sink’ cautions. A stall warning appeared once, while the GPWS alert triggered twice,” an official was quoted as saying.

Initial flight reports reportedly mentioned only a “stick shaker due to turbulence,” without reference to the more severe alerts. However, subsequent analysis of data from the flight data recorder confirmed the presence of both stall and GPWS warnings. These findings have surfaced amid intensified regulatory scrutiny following the Ahmedabad crash.

In response to the incident, the DGCA has ordered enhanced inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787 and 777 fleets. As a precaution, Air India has temporarily reduced its international wide-body operations by 15 percent to facilitate thorough safety checks.

An Air India spokesperson confirmed the airline's compliance with regulatory protocols. “Upon receipt of the pilot’s report, the matter was disclosed to DGCA in accordance with regulations. Subsequently, upon receipt of data from the aircraft’s recorders, further investigation was initiated. The pilots have been off-rostered pending the outcome of the investigation,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, a preliminary report on the fatal Ahmedabad crash is expected to be released by 11 July, according to NDTV.