Now Reading: Air India pilot on turbulence-hit flight may have failed drug test
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Air India pilot on turbulence-hit flight may have failed drug test
Sources told The Times of India that the captain of the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that hit severe turbulence on August 4 has tested positive for a psychoactive substance in a post-flight…
The Story in Brief
Sources told The Times of India that the captain of the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that hit severe turbulence on August 4 has tested positive for a psychoactive substance in a post-flight drug test. The airline said it has not received the test results and is "not in a position to comment on any findings". The DGCA is investigating both the turbulence event and whether the pilot was impaired.
The Airbus A320, flight AI2379, dropped around 300 feet due to clear-air turbulence near Delhi, injuring 14 people including passengers and crew. Most were treated and discharged. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed the probe. A passenger has filed a complaint on the AirSewa portal alleging his elderly in-laws suffered rib and spinal injuries.
The Indian Opinion
The media has rushed to link the pilot's alleged dope test failure to the turbulence itself, but the DGCA investigation will separate cause from coincidence. Clear-air turbulence is a known weather hazard, and the sudden drop injured passengers regardless of what the test shows. The real test for regulators is whether they pursue objective science or a headline-friendly narrative. Will the DGCA release the full toxicology report and flight data recorder analysis together?
Sources (3): livemint.com, news.abplive.com, indiatvnews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
