Air India Mid-Air Turbulence : Alarming ! Pilot On Flight From Phuket To Delhi Tests Postive ; CIvil Aviation Takes Serious Note On The Incident

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The pilot-in-command of Air India’s Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly lost 300 feet in altitude last week has tested positive for a psychoactive substance in the confirmatory test, sources said on , as Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and senior officials met with the Air India CEO and other executives to discuss the incident.

While there was no official statement from the airline or the authorities, the sources said the pilot has tested positive for marijuana, a psychoactive substance.

On August 4, Air India’s Airbus A320 aircraft with registration VT-EXO, operating the flight AI 2379 from Phuket to Delhi, experienced a sudden altitude variation of approximately 300 feet during cruise. The aircraft, which had 145 people onboard, subsequently stabilised and landed safely in the national capital.

In a statement as reported by PTI , the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is being assisted by French agency BEA and Airbus in the probe, said 20 passengers and four cabin crew members were injured in the incident. As the AAIB probes the serious flight incident that happened on August 4, leaving at least 24 people injured, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, along with other senior executives, met Naidu, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and other officials.

After the meeting, Naidu said safety in aviation is the top most priority and there should not be any compromise from any side. The sources said the pilot has tested positive for psychoactive substance in the confirmatory screening test. After the incident, both pilots of the flight underwent the prescribed psychoactive substance screening test.

“The screening test in respect of the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) indicated a result requiring confirmatory testing. Samples have accordingly been sent to the designated laboratory for confirmatory analysis, and the final report is awaited,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement on August 9. Pending completion of the investigation and testing process, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken both flight crew members off the roster.

With respect to the use of psychoactive substances, Naidu said the issue was being taken very seriously and that the ministry was ready to tweak regulations if needed. “We are continuously studying it (the issue) and DGCA also, we have asked updates on that… we are taking it very very seriously. If we feel that present regulations are not up to the mark… then, we will respond very seriously… improve whatever needs to be done,” he told reporters after the meeting.