Civil Aviation Ministry summons Air India CEO over flight turbulence incident

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has summoned Air India's outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson over an incident in which an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence on August 4. The move also comes amid complaints that the airline failed to provide adequate assistance to passengers injured in the incident.

The Air India AI 2379 Airbus A320 was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members from Phuket to Delhi when it encountered turbulence and suddenly dropped by around 300 feet. 17 people, including 13 passengers and 4 crew members, were injured in the incident. A drug test conducted on the pilots later showed preliminary positive results for one of them. The samples have been sent for further testing.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have launched separate investigations into the incident and the pilot's test results. Both pilots have been temporarily removed from duty until the investigation is completed. Authorities have also collected the aircraft's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder as part of the investigation.