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Air India Phuket-Delhi flight drops 300 feet after turbulence, 10 passengers, 4 crew members injured
The Air India aircraft on Tuesday experienced a sudden drop in its altitude, likely caused due to turbulence.
Fourteen passengers on board a Phuket-Delhi Air India flight were injured after it dropped about 300 feet due to turbulence before landing safely.
People aware of the matter said that Delhi airport was alerted, and medical teams were put on standby ahead of the landing. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the regulator, has been informed about the incident. “All the injured have been taken to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and India Spinal Injury Centre," said an official requesting anonymity.
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The airline said the flight AI2379 experienced a brief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise, resulting in a momentary change in altitude. "The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and all passengers and crew have safely disembarked.”
Air India said there were no serious injuries as of now. "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.”
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A DGCA official, on condition of anonymity, said the pilot in command reported a severe injury to one cabin crew member, injuries to a few passengers due to a sudden loss of approximately 300 feet of altitude. The official said a transient technical fault is also suspected.
Air India said the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew remain the airline's highest priority. "We are providing all necessary support to those affected and are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities as part of the investigation,” the airline said in a statement.
The flight took off from Phuket at 8:25 am and landed in Delhi at 11:00 am, according to data on flightradar24.com.
The aircraft landed safely at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport where all passengers and crew disembarked safely, Air India said, adding that no serious injuries were reported.
