New Delhi, August 9: A post-flight drug screening conducted after an Air India flight suffered severe mid-air turbulence has returned a positive result for one of the operating pilots, sources confirmed. Both cockpit crew members have been withdrawn from flying duties as regulators evaluate the circumstances surrounding the sudden 300-foot descent during the August 5 journey from Phuket to New Delhi.
The flight encountered severe atmospheric instability lasting nearly five minutes, causing significant distress inside the aircraft cabin. Seventeen passengers and crew members suffered injuries during the event, with medical personnel advising several flight attendants to take extended rest due to neck and tailbone trauma.
An Air India official stated that the airline adheres strictly to routine and event-based drug testing guidelines prescribed by aviation safety authorities. While acknowledging that mandatory post-flight testing took place, the airline maintained that it awaits official transmission of the results from regulatory bodies before issuing a detailed assessment.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is assessing flight data and medical reports to establish the sequence of events. Senior ministry representatives declared that further regulatory action, including a possible referral to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, will depend on the conclusions reached by the primary inquiry.
