Air India Phuket-Delhi flight suddenly loses 300 ft altitude in mid-air turbulence; 17 suffer injuries
Air India Phuket-Delhi flight suddenly loses 300 ft altitude in mid-air turbulence; 17 suffer injuries
An Air India flight from Phuket to the national capital faced mid-air turbulence and the aircraft suddenly lost 300 feet in altitude on Tuesday morning, leaving at least 17 people onboard injured, including one cabin crew member who suffered severe injuries, according to officials.
The narrow-body A320 neo aircraft, operating flight AI2379 from Phuket, landed safely at Delhi airport at 11.07 am. There were 137 passengers and eight crew members on board, an Air India spokesperson said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing the incident.
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The plane’s Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been secured for a detailed examination.
“Air India A320 aircraft VT-EXO operating flight AI2379 (Phuket-Delhi) experienced loss of approximately 300 feet in altitude during the flight.
“Pilot In Command reported a severe injury to one cabin crew member, injury to another and minor injuries to a few passengers due to a sudden loss of approximately 300 feet altitude,” a senior DGCA official told PTI.
In an updated statement at around 7 pm, an Air India spokesperson said the flight experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise and after the momentary event, the aircraft continued normally and landed safely.
“The Airbus A320neo aircraft was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. Of these, 13 passengers and four crew members sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for medical evaluation.
“As of 18:50 hrs on 4 August, five passengers have been discharged, while the remaining individuals continue to receive treatment and care,” the spokesperson said.
The DGCA official said the incident was being investigated.
While Air India said 17 people, including 4 cabin crew members, were injured, the civil aviation ministry, in a statement issued at around 8 pm, said 8 passengers and 4 cabin crew members have been admitted to hospitals for detailed medical evaluation and treatment.
“All admitted passengers and crew members are stable and are being provided with adequate medical care and attention. The remaining passengers were provided the necessary assistance and support,” the ministry said in the statement.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu along with Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and DGCA Director General Vir Vikram Yadav visited Fortis Hospital in the national capital to enquire about the condition of the injured passengers.
In an earlier statement, the Air India spokesperson said the flight experienced a brief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise, resulting in a momentary change in altitude.
“There has been no report of serious injuries. 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 in a statement issued at around 1.30 pm.
In accordance with established safety and regulatory procedures, the relevant regulatory authorities have been informed. Air India is fully cooperating with the investigation, and the aircraft manufacturer has also been notified, the spokesperson said in the latest statement.
“We will continue to support those affected and their families and will work closely with the relevant authorities throughout the course of the investigation,” the spokesperson said and added the airline’s teams remain at the hospitals and in close contact with those affected.
Meanwhile, the ministry said the aircraft has been moved to the hangar and the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been secured for detailed examination.
It is a usual standard operating procedure for pilots to inform passengers about possible turbulence, especially when there is bad weather. However, mid-air turbulence resulting in injuries to passengers and cabin crew is rare.
On May 21, 2024, a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore faced severe turbulence, following which one passenger died due to suspected heart attack and many others were injured.
Among other such serious incidents, a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur had faced severe turbulence on May 1, 2022, resulting in the death of a passenger and injuries to several others
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