Air India Phuket-Delhi pilot’s initial test results return positive for ‘marijuana’ a week after mishap: Report

THE pilot-in-command of an Air India flight that faced turbulence mid-air, causing injuries to 17 people, has tested positive for psychoactive substances during a post-flight screening, Hindustan Times reported.

The pilot’s initial drug test showed a possible presence of drugs, though the result was not confirmed, according to a government release. “The pilot in question has not tested positive in the confirmatory test. He has tested positive for marijuana,” an official aware of the details told HT.

What happened on Air India flight AI2379?

The Tata-owned AI2379 flight, which had 137 passengers and eight crew members onboard, faced severe turbulence on its way to the national capital from Phuket on August 4.

The aircraft lost 300 feet in altitude while cruising, an incident the Ministry of Civil Aviation described as a "serious incident".

The turbulence left 13 passengers and four crew members injured, the airline said. The injured passengers were taken to the hospital but were discharged after receiving treatment.

Following the incident, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu shared an update on Saturday regarding the severe turbulence experienced by an Air India flight last week and assured the public that the situation was being handled with urgency and care.

Addressing the cause of the turbulence, the minister confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped in to determine how the incident occurred, ANI reported.

He also provided a medical status update on those affected, adding that the majority of injured passengers had been treated and released shortly after landing.

He said, "The turbulence incident that happened, most of the passengers in the first few hours only, were discharged from the hospital," and added, "Around 24 passengers were facing some kind of medical inconvenience. So they were taken to the hospital; thorough check-ups have been done for them, and most of them have been discharged."