A passenger on the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight, which experienced a sudden 300-foot altitude drop and injured 24 people, reported on Tuesday that the pilot “seemed high” before the plane departed. This statement, quoted in an NDTV report, surfaced after the pilot-in-command (PIC) reportedly tested positive for marijuana, a psychoactive substance.
The incident, which occurred on August 4, saw 20 passengers and four crew members of flight AI2379 sustain injuries. Deemed serious, it prompted an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Following standard operating procedures, both pilots underwent screening for psychoactive substances upon their arrival in Delhi.
The initial test for the PIC yielded an “unconfirmed” or “non-negative” result, necessitating confirmatory testing. Subsequently, the pilot’s sample was sent to a specialized laboratory. An official, knowledgeable about the report’s details, confirmed to HT that the “pilot in question has tested positive in the confirmatory test. He tested positive for Marijuana.”
In light of this revelation, a passenger traveling on the affected Air India flight with his brother shared with NDTV that the PIC appeared visibly intoxicated prior to takeoff. He also disclosed that after landing in Delhi, the pilot requested passengers refrain from recording, suggesting that “a small thing would turn into a full-blown controversy.”
“My brother and I were the last passengers to board the flight, and the pilot boarded with us. I spoke to him and asked him whether the flight was on time or if we were late. He was very slow to respond, and his eyes were red. I told my brother then that he seemed high, and you all know what happened after that,” the passenger recounted to the news channel. He admitted there was no way to ascertain at the time if the situation was grave enough to avoid boarding. The passenger also noted that he was ridiculed when he initially spoke to the media at Delhi airport about his observation that the pilot seemed high.
During the flight, several passengers sustained head and back injuries when the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight encountered severe turbulence during its cruise phase, experiencing a sudden 300-foot drop in altitude. A passenger, speaking to news agency ANI, described how, in the early morning hours when most passengers were asleep, the flight abruptly stopped and flipped, continuing this erratic movement for two to three minutes.
“Around 15-20 passengers got injured. Somebody’s head was hit, a baby was injured, and my lower back was injured. My brother’s shoulder was hit, and his eardrums are also damaged,” the passenger stated. He estimated that approximately 70 to 80 percent of the passengers on board were injured and expressed their intention to seek “100 percent action” against Air India for the incident and the damages incurred.
The passenger who spoke to NDTV further detailed the pilot’s actions after landing in Delhi, stating that the pilot-in-charge exited the cockpit and urged passengers not to record anything, using the Hindi idiom “baat ka batangad ban jayega” (a small thing will be blown out of proportion).
“We were in a life-and-death situation. Who is so worried about being recorded? His major concern was not how he could ensure medical treatment for everyone. His thing was to land in Delhi, so he didn’t have to answer any questions or anything like that. So he did not make any emergency landing elsewhere,” the passenger told the news channel. He also reportedly mentioned that the pilot considered Lucknow as a closer landing option but decided against it, choosing Delhi, as the city in Uttar Pradesh “lacked good medical infrastructure.”
Following the incident, the civil aviation ministry announced that both pilots were removed from the roster by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) pending investigation and completion of prescribed procedures. The AAIB is currently investigating the incident. A government release on Tuesday confirmed that the AAIB is systematically gathering, preserving, and examining all pertinent evidence, including the aircraft and its systems, recorded flight data, operational and maintenance records, medical information, and interviews with involved individuals. Conclusions will only be drawn after a comprehensive examination of all material evidence.
An Air India spokesperson declined to comment on the development, citing the ongoing investigative process. “As the investigative process is ongoing, Air India cannot comment on any findings or observations related to the investigation. We will continue to extend our full cooperation to relevant authorities as required,” the spokesperson stated. An Airbus team is also slated to assist the AAIB in its investigation into the Air India Phuket-Delhi turbulence case.
