Days after 17 people were injured aboard an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi that encountered severe turbulence and suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude, the investigation has taken an unusual turn.
The flight’s captain underwent a drug screening after landing and the initial test reportedly returned a positive result for psychoactive substances, according to reports by the Times of India, India Today and NDTV.
The finding has not been officially confirmed, however, and Air India said it has not received the test results. Both pilots have meanwhile been temporarily removed from flight duty pending completion of the investigation.
Responding to India Today, Air India confirmed that the pilots were tested after the flight in accordance with applicable procedures, but stressed that the results had not been provided to the airline. “We are aware that a screening test was conducted on the pilots after the flight in accordance with applicable protocols. However, the test results have not been shared with Air India and therefore we cannot comment on the findings,” the airline said.
Air India added that it routinely conducts drug testing of crew members in line with aviation regulations and would continue cooperating with the authorities.
According to NDTV, a second test was conducted following the initial screening, but its results have not yet been published. At this stage, there is therefore no official confirmation that the captain tested positive for drug use.
The incident occurred on August 4 aboard Air India flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi. The Airbus A320 was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, as well as eight crew members. During cruise, the aircraft encountered turbulence and lost about 300 feet of altitude in a short period.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu later said the turbulence lasted about five minutes. Seventeen people were injured, including four crew members, and some were taken to hospitals. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation opened an investigation and took possession of the aircraft’s flight recorders for examination.
According to India Today, a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official said the findings would also be reviewed to determine whether the case should be referred for further investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
The inquiry is not focusing solely on turbulence. According to the New Indian Express and other Indian reports, investigators are also examining whether a temporary technical malfunction contributed to the loss of altitude. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the aircraft to descend about 300 feet, meaning there is no certainty that turbulence alone was responsible.
Separate drug case prompts wider testing
The development comes only days after another unusual drug case involving a crew member from an Asian airline. A Malaysia Airlines second officer was arrested in Indonesia after authorities allegedly found more than 70,000 ecstasy pills weighing over 26 kilograms in his luggage, along with methamphetamine.
A drug test reportedly returned positive results for methamphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine.
Indonesian customs officials display the drugs allegedly smuggled by a Malaysian pilot arrested after arriving from Kuala Lumpur
(Photo: Ramu / AFP)
Malaysia Airlines later clarified that the second officer had not been flying the aircraft on which he arrived in Jakarta. According to the airline, he had been off duty for two days and was sitting in the cockpit jump seat as an observer, while the flight itself was operated by two other qualified pilots.
Reuters reported that the case prompted Malaysia Airlines to introduce mandatory drug testing for all 1,260 of its pilots. Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Authority subsequently ordered all airlines in the country to conduct drug tests on all active pilots and cabin crew within 30 days.