A passenger of the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly lost altitude, dropped 300 feet and injured 24 people, reportedly said on Tuesday that the pilot "seemed high" before the plane took off.
The passenger was quoted in an NDTV report, which also said that the claim came after the pilot-in-command (PIC) tested positive for marijuana, a psychoactive substance.
The August 4 incident, in which 20 passengers and four crew members of flight AI2379 were injured, was deemed serious, prompting a probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
As part of the standard operating procedure (SOP), both pilots of the flight had to undergo screening for psychoactive substances after landing in Delhi.
The initial test of the PIC turned up an unconfirmed result, with a government release earlier stating that the drug test had returned "non-negative." The results indicated that confirmatory testing was required. Following this, the pilot's sample was sent to a designated laboratory.
"The pilot in question has tested positive in the confirmatory test. He tested positive for Marijuana," an official aware of the details in the report told HT.
{{/usCountry}}"The pilot in question has tested positive in the confirmatory test. He tested positive for Marijuana," an official aware of the details in the report told HT.
{{/usCountry}}In line with this revelation, a passenger, who was travelling on the Phuket-Delhi Air India flight with his brother, told NDTV that the PIC appeared visibly high before the plane took off. He also revealed that after landing in Delhi, the pilot asked passengers not to record anything, saying that a small thing would turn into a full-blown controversy.
"My brother and I were the last passengers to board the flight, and the pilot boarded with us. I spoke to him and asked him whether the flight was on time or if we were late. He was very slow to respond, and his eyes were red. I told my brother then that he seemed high, and you all know what happened after that," the passenger told the news channel.
ALSO READ | ‘Flight dropped 300 feet’: Woman recalls terrifying Air India Phuket-Delhi turbulence
The passenger said there was no way to be sure whether the matter was serious enough to avoid boarding the flight.
He also recalled how people made fun of him when he spoke to the media at Delhi airport after the incident, telling them that the pilot seemed to be high.
What happened on Phuket-Delhi flight?
Several passengers were injured to the head and back after the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight experienced heavy turbulence during cruise, dropping 300 feet after a sudden loss of altitude.
Speaking to news agency ANI, a passenger revealed that during the early morning hours, when most passengers were asleep, the flight suddenly stopped and flipped around, and it kept doing so for 2-3 minutes.
"Around 15-20 passengers got injured. Somebody's head was hit, a baby was injured, and my lower back was injured. My brother's shoulder was hit, and his eardrums are also damaged," the passenger revealed.
He further stated that around 70 to 80 per cent of the passengers on board the flight were injured, adding that they will seek 100 per cent action against Air India for the incident and the damages incurred.
Pilot's shocking remarks after landing
The passenger who spoke to NDTV also revealed how the pilot-in-charge stepped out of the cockpit after landing in Delhi and asked passengers not to record anything. According to him, the PIC said, "baat ka batangad ban jayega."
"We were in a life-and-death situation. Who is so worried about being recorded? His major concern was not how he could ensure medical treatment for everyone. His thing was to land in Delhi, so he didn't have to answer any questions or anything like that. So he did not make any emergency landing elsewhere," the passenger told the news channel.
He also reportedly mentioned that the pilot spoke about Lucknow as a closer landing option but decided against it, landing in Delhi, as the city in Uttar Pradesh "lacked good medical infrastructure."
AAIB probes Phuket-Delhi flight
After the incident, the civil aviation ministry had said that both the pilots were taken off the roster by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), pending investigation and completion of the prescribed procedure. The incident is now being investigated by the AAIB.
ALSO READ | Airbus team to assist AAIB probe into Air India Phuket-Delhi turbulence case
A government release on Tuesday revealed that the AAIB is engaged in the systematic collection, preservation and examination of all relevant evidence. It said that the process also included the examination of the aircraft and its systems, recorded flight data, relevant operational and maintenance records, medical information, and an interview with persons concerned.
Conclusions would be drawn only after the complete examination of all material evidence.
An Air India spokesperson refused to comment on the development, citing the ongoing investigative process. "As the investigative process is ongoing, Air India cannot comment on any findings or observations related to the investigation. We will continue to extend our full cooperation to relevant authorities as required,” the spokesperson said.