Air India captain faces confirmatory drug test after 300-foot plunge
What's new: India pulled both pilots from duty and opened a serious-incident probe after 17 people were injured on the Phuket-Delhi flight.
India's aviation ministry said an Air India captain is undergoing confirmatory testing for psychoactive substances after a Phuket-to-New Delhi flight suddenly lost about 300 feet in turbulence on Aug. 4, injuring 17 passengers and crew. The Airbus A320, operating as AI2379 with 137 passengers and eight crew, later stabilized and landed safely in Delhi. The ministry classified the episode as a serious incident and said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is investigating. Both pilots were removed from the roster pending the probe. Air India said it knew post-flight screening had been conducted under standard protocols but had not been given the results.