An Air India flight from Delhi to Ranchi was diverted back to the national capital on Monday, June 16, 2025, after a technical issue was reported mid-air. According to the IANS, Flight AI 9695 had departed from Delhi at 4.25 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Birsa Munda Airport by 6.20 p.m. The exact nature of the issue has not been disclosed. Air India has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident or details about any rescheduled flights.
Earlier in the day, another Air India aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating flight AI 315 from Hong Kong to Delhi, also returned mid-air due to a suspected technical fault. The flight had departed from Hong Kong at 12.16 p.m. local time. Following standard safety procedures, the pilot decided to return. The aircraft landed safely in Hong Kong and all passengers were safely deboarded. No injuries were reported.
These back-to-back incidents come just days after a major tragedy in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. An Air India 787-8 flying from Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12. The crash claimed 270 lives onboard and killed 29 more on the ground. The aircraft had collided with a medical college campus in Meghaninagar. Among the dead were five medical students. One British-Indian passenger survived and is undergoing treatment.