Now Reading: Air India Phuket-Delhi captain fails dope test after turbulence
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Air India Phuket-Delhi captain fails dope test after turbulence
The captain of Air India's turbulence-hit Phuket-Delhi flight has reportedly tested positive for psychoactive substances in a post-flight dope test, multiple sources told Times of India. Air India did not confirm the…
The Story in Brief
The captain of Air India's turbulence-hit Phuket-Delhi flight has reportedly tested positive for psychoactive substances in a post-flight dope test, multiple sources told Times of India. Air India did not confirm the result, saying it has not been shared with the airline. The Airbus A320 with 145 people on board encountered severe turbulence near Odisha and dropped 300 feet. On arrival in Delhi, 13 passengers and four crew members were hospitalised. The DGCA is probing the handling of the turbulence and whether the aircraft should have diverted. The flight crew has been taken off flying duty pending investigation.
The Indian Opinion
The focus on the pilot's dope test risks feeding a lazy narrative that impairment caused the turbulence. No evidence yet links the two, the flight dropped 300 feet in severe weather, a known hazard. It is equally unfair to presume the airline was lax; the test was routine post-flight protocol. The key test will be the DGCA's finding on whether the event was pure weather or pilot error, and whether the confirmatory dope test matches the initial result.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
