An Air India Phuket–Delhi flight experiences an incident that includes a significant altitude drop over Odisha, leaving 20 passengers and four crew members injured. After the event, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) reports that a post-flight drug test for the pilot returns non-negative results for a psychoactive substance.
Multiple outlets cite the AAIB’s preliminary findings and related communications, noting that the bureau considers the confirmation of psychoactive substance use a serious concern. NDTV and Business Line say AAIB recommends that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action to prevent abuse, implying regulatory and enforcement steps as needed. Times of India similarly frames the drug-test result as a major issue and reports that AAIB has called for urgent DGCA response.
While the outlets focus on the implications of the test result, they converge on the key points: the flight incident over Odisha, the reported injuries, and AAIB’s preliminary conclusion that pilot psychoactive substance use requires prompt oversight action by the DGCA.
