Air India pilot awaits drug-test result after plunge

An Air India pilot is awaiting the result of a confirmatory psychoactive drug test after a flight dropped about 300 feet in turbulence and injured passengers and crew, India's aviation ministry said on Sunday.

The Airbus A320, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew, was flying from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi on August 4 when it lost about 300 feet before stabilising and landing safely, the ministry said.

The ministry said 17 passengers and crew were injured. Eight passengers and four cabin crew members were admitted to hospitals after landing in New Delhi, and their conditions were described as stable.

Both pilots were given standard post-flight psychoactive substance screening tests. The ministry said the screening test for the pilot-in-command showed a result “requiring confirmatory testing”. Samples were sent to a designated laboratory, and the final report is awaited.

The ministry said the flight has been classified as a Serious Incident and India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has opened an investigation. Both pilots have been removed from the flying roster pending the results of the investigation and the confirmatory test.

Air India said earlier on Sunday that post-flight screening had been conducted on the pilots, but that results had not been shared with the company.

The incident comes during a difficult period for Air India, which appointed former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as chief executive on Wednesday. In June 2025, Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.