A Boeing 787 jet identical to the one that crashed in India made four emergency landings in less than a month earlier this year.

Some of the incidents involving the American Airlines plane were linked to issues with its wing flaps – vital control surfaces now under scrutiny following the Indian crash, after phone footage appeared to show they were not properly deployed.

Boeing shares were priced 8 per cent lower before the opening bell in New York and were later down 5 per cent as news of the tragedy, which killed more than 240 people, revived safety concerns about a company only just emerging from a crisis surrounding the 737 Max jet.