Now Reading: Air India pilot failed dope test after Phuket-Delhi turbulence: sources
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Air India pilot failed dope test after Phuket-Delhi turbulence: sources
One of the two pilots of the Air India flight that hit severe turbulence on August 4, dropping 300 feet near Odisha, has reportedly failed a post-flight dope test, sources told India…
The Story in Brief
One of the two pilots of the Air India flight that hit severe turbulence on August 4, dropping 300 feet near Odisha, has reportedly failed a post-flight dope test, sources told India Today on Sunday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing the incident from multiple angles, including whether the pilots handled the turbulence correctly and whether the aircraft should have diverted to a closer airport. Both pilots have been de-rostered pending the enquiry.
Air India said it has not received the test results and cannot comment. The Federation of Indian Pilots urged caution, saying the result is yet to be confirmed. The airline regularly conducts drug tests under civil aviation regulations. The incident injured 13 passengers and four crew members, some with spinal injuries. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the turbulence lasted about five minutes.
The Indian Opinion
The rush to brand the pilot guilty before the confirmatory test result is out does no one any favours. Drug abuse in aviation is a serious concern, but so is due process. The same voices that demand accountability often ignore that the airline itself has not seen the report. The DGCA must now disclose the confirmatory test result and the full investigation into the 300-foot drop. Only that will tell us whether this was a case of impairment or a different failure.
Sources (3): indiatoday.in, livemint.com, economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
