Air India flight briefly lost 300 feet after encountering severe turbulence.
Ten passengers and crew sustained minor injuries; aircraft landed safely in Delhi.
An Air India flight operating from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence while cruising on 4 August, causing the aircraft to briefly lose around 300 feet in altitude. Flight AI2379 landed safely in the national capital, and all passengers and crew disembarked without further incident, as per moneycontrol.
At least 10 people, including passengers and crew members, sustained minor injuries during the turbulence. Air India said there were no serious injuries.
An Air India spokesperson said a small number of those requiring medical assessment had been taken to a medical facility at the airport as a precaution.
"A small number of passengers and crew members with minor injuries requiring medical assessment have been taken to a medical facility at the airport for precautionary examination and care by Air India’s airport team and medical personnel," the spokesperson said.
A passenger told ANI, “It had been an hour and a half since the flight. It was early morning. We were sleeping inside the flight. The flight suddenly stopped while moving and turned around…it kept moving like this for 2-3 minutes…15-20 passengers got injured…there were more than 100 people in the flight…70 to 80% of the people got injured…we will 100% take action against Air India.”
Seven Passengers Admitted To Fortis Hospital
Seven passengers from the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that encountered severe turbulence have been admitted to Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital in Vasant Kunj for medical evaluation and treatment.
In a statement, the hospital said four crew members and three passengers were brought to its Emergency Department, where they were assessed immediately. Dr Ujjwal Vaid, Head of the Emergency Department at Fortis Vasant Kunj, said all seven patients were conscious, oriented and had stable vital signs.
He said no passenger had suffered any major injury and three passengers were discharged with oral medication and advice on warning signs requiring emergency attention. They were also advised follow-up at the outpatient department after five days.
Dr Vaid said one of the four crew members, all of whom were women, had suffered a spinal fracture, while the others were being further evaluated. He added that none of the patients had any external injury or open wound.
Explaining the nature of the injuries, Dr Vaid said the incident appeared to involve compression-type injuries. He added that passengers and crew members reported that the aircraft suddenly dipped, causing some people to hit the ceiling. While some passengers had their seat belts fastened, others did not. The crew members were wearing seat belts at the time.
Earlier, the hospital had said that a Code Yellow was activated after the patients were stabilised to ensure a coordinated response and optimal deployment of resources.
"After stabilization, the patients were shifted for the necessary radiological investigations (CT/MRI/X-rays, as clinically indicated) and are now being transferred to their respective inpatient rooms for continued observation and further management," the hospital had said.
The hospital added that a dedicated Air India coordination team was present at the facility and was working with the clinical and administrative teams to assist with patient care, documentation, logistics and communication with the passengers’ families.
Investigation Underway
The airline said it is coordinating with aviation regulators as part of the review into the turbulence-related incident.
"The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain Air India’s highest priority. We are providing all necessary support to those affected and are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities as part of the investigation," the spokesperson added.
( This is a developing story)
