A laboratory report has confirmed that the pilot of Air India’s Phuket-Delhi flight tested positive for psychoactive substances
Flight AI2379 suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude during cruise
The aircraft later stabilised and landed safely in Delhi, with 17 people injured
The pilot who flew Air India's Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly lost around 300 feet in altitude last week tested positive for psychoactive substances during a post-flight screening, with the laboratory report confirming the result.
According to Reuters, the finding comes as authorities investigate the incident involving Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320 operating from Phuket to Delhi. The aircraft experienced a sudden altitude loss while flying over Odisha before stabilising and landing safely in Delhi.
The flight was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members. At least 13 passengers and four crew members were injured in the incident.
Pilot Drug Test
India's civil aviation ministry had said on Sunday that the captain's initial screening had returned a positive result for psychoactive substances, prompting confirmatory laboratory testing.
Air India had said it was aware that post-flight screening had been conducted but that the results had not been shared with the airline and it was therefore not in a position to comment on the findings.
The laboratory report has now confirmed the positive result, Reuters reported. The development comes as Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has summoned Air India CEO Campbell Wilson over the incident, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
What Happened On Flight AI2379?
Last week, AI2379 suddenly lost approximately 300 feet of altitude during cruise. The aircraft subsequently stabilised and landed safely at Delhi airport.
The incident is being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with authorities securing the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder for examination.
The aircraft also experienced multiple technical issues, including reported triple hydraulic failures and turbulence. Airbus and France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) are assisting the investigation.
Additionally, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had separately launched an investigation into the incident, examining the weather conditions, operational procedures and crew response.
The investigation into the cause of the altitude loss remains separate from the pilot's drug-test finding. The authorities have yet to establish whether the test result had any connection with the incident.
