India probes flight plunge as pilot faces drug test scrutiny
Indian investigators are examining evidence linked to an Air India flight that plunged sharply mid-air last week, authorities said on Tuesday, as local media reported the pilot had tested positive for marijuana. The Airbus A320 carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members lost about 300 feet (91 metres) of altitude shortly after departing from Thailand’s Phuket for New Delhi on August 4, before…
Indian authorities are investigating a mid-air incident involving an Air India flight that plummeted sharply on August 4. The Airbus A320, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, lost about 300 feet of altitude after departing Phuket, Thailand, en route to New Delhi. The aircraft landed safely in the Indian capital, but 24 people were injured, more than the previously reported 17.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a systematic examination of all relevant evidence, including technical, operational, medical, and human-factor factors. The airline's spokesperson said they could not comment on the reported drug test results, as the findings had not been shared with them. The chief pilot is said to have tested positive for marijuana in a second drug screening test, while both pilots were removed from flying duties pending the outcome of the investigation.
The AAIB is supported by Airbus and France's civil aviation safety agency. Air India is facing challenges as it works to improve its operations following recent setbacks, including a crash in June that killed 242 people and 19 on the ground.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
