An identical Air India plane to the one in last week's devastating crash was forced to make an emergency landing in 2023 after its engine gave way mid-air.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was forced to turn back an hour into its 14-hour flight two years ago between Mumbai and London, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.
Pilots flying the plane in August 2023 reported hearing a 'loud thud' immediately before the left engine lost power due to poor maintenance.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of last Thursday's disaster, also said there was a 'loud noise' immediately before the Air India flight AI171 crashed. His seat, 11A, was near the Boeing's left engine.
Investigators looking into the 2023 engine failure say the Boeing's left-hand engine, made by the US company General Electric, failed after a turbine blade was incorrectly bolted and then broke loose.
