Phuket-Delhi flight pilots' dope test results not shared with Air India; airline unable to comment

The dope test results of the pilots operating an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi, which encountered severe turbulence earlier this week, have not been shared with the airline, Air India said on Sunday, as reports emerged claiming that the captain may have tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

Air India said a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols but stressed that it was not in a position to comment on the findings as the results had not been communicated to the airline.

“We are aware that a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols. However, the results of the test have not been shared with Air India, and we are therefore not in a position to comment on any findings,” an Air India spokesperson told Fortune India.

The statement comes after reports citing sources claimed that the captain of flight AI2379, which was operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, had reportedly tested positive in a mandatory post-flight drug screening.

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu had earlier described the incident as a severe bout of turbulence that lasted around five minutes, during which the aircraft briefly lost about 300 feet in altitude. He said 17 people, including four crew members, were injured, with some of the crew members suffering spinal and neck injuries. Naidu said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was investigating the incident.

Air India says drug testing is conducted regularly

The airline also said that drug testing of its crew is not necessarily linked to a specific incident.

“Air India undertakes regular drug testing of crew members in compliance with civil aviation regulations, independent of any specific flight or operational incident,” the spokesperson said.

The airline added that it would continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities as required.

The reported test result comes amid a probe into the turbulence incident involving AI2379. The Airbus aircraft encountered severe turbulence during its cruise from Phuket to Delhi, resulting in a sudden change in altitude of around 300 feet.

17 people injured in turbulence incident

The incident left 17 people — 13 passengers and four crew members — injured. The aircraft subsequently landed safely in Delhi, where those injured were taken for medical attention.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated an investigation into the incident. The reported dope-test findings, however, have not been officially confirmed by either Air India or the aviation regulator.