The captain of an Air India flight that plunged around 300 feet during severe turbulence last week is undergoing confirmatory drug testing after an initial screening indicated a result requiring further laboratory analysis, India’s Civil Aviation Ministry said on Sunday.
The Airbus A320, operating as flight AI2379 and carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members, was flying from Phuket in Thailand to New Delhi on 4 August when it encountered severe turbulence over Odisha and lost roughly 300 feet of altitude during cruise, before stabilising and landing safely in Delhi, according to CP24. “The screening test in respect of the Pilot-in-Command indicated a result requiring confirmatory testing,” the ministry said in a statement carried by CP24, adding, “Samples have accordingly been sent to the designated laboratory for confirmatory analysis, and the final report is awaited.”
Aircraft Pilot: What Happened Aboard The Aircraft?
The sudden altitude loss caused chaos in the cabin, with videos of the aftermath showing cabin baggage strewn across the aisle, according to CP24. Eight passengers and four cabin crew members were admitted to hospital following the flight’s landing in Delhi for detailed medical evaluation, with some carried off the aircraft on stretchers, though their conditions were later described as stable, according to the Free Malaysia Today report citing the civil aviation ministry.
Aircraft Pilot: What Have Authorities And Air India Said About The Pilot’s Test?
Under standard procedure, both pilots underwent screening for psychoactive substances following the incident, with only the pilot-in-command’s initial result requiring the additional confirmatory analysis, according to the ministry’s statement reported by ARN News Centre. The ministry did not disclose what substance, if any, the screening had indicated, and said the final laboratory report remained outstanding.
Air India, for its part, sought to distance itself from unverified media reports of a positive test result, with a spokesperson saying, “We are aware that a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols. However, the results of the test have not been shared with Air India, and we are, therefore, not in a position to comment on any findings,” according to Prokerala, adding that the airline would “continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities as required.”
Aircraft Pilot: How Has The Incident Been Classified, And What Comes Next?
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has taken both pilots off the flying roster pending the outcome of the investigation, while the flight itself has been formally classified as a “Serious Incident” and is now under review by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, according to CP24. The ministry said further action would depend on the investigation’s findings and the results of the confirmatory testing.
Captain CS Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, urged caution against drawing early conclusions while the process remained incomplete, telling The Tribune that a final positive result could carry serious consequences for the pilot involved. “If the test seems positive, then the licence cancellation of the pilot can also take place because of this,” Randhawa said, adding that other regulatory penalties could also follow depending on the investigation’s outcome. With the confirmatory laboratory report still pending, both the airline and aviation regulators say no formal conclusions have yet been reached regarding the cause of the sudden altitude loss or any role the pilot’s condition may have played in it.
