Tata Group's air services provider Air India has sacked the chief pilot in connection with the Phuket-Delhi flight crash on August 4.
Flight number AI 2379, while coming from Phuket to Delhi, suddenly dived 300 feet in the air. 24 people were injured in this accident. After landing in Delhi, the chief pilot's report was positive in the initial drug test. According to the preliminary report issued by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday morning, the chief pilot's report has also been found positive in laboratory tests of blood samples.
Air India has taken immediate action in the matter and fired the pilot. In a post on social media platform X, the airline said, "Safety is Air India's top priority. The chief pilot of the Phuket-Delhi flight has tested positive for drugs. The pilot has been terminated with immediate effect under Air India's zero-tolerance policy on safety, fitness and regulatory compliance." is so that there is no compromise with safety.
The AAIB report said that the chief pilot's preliminary examination and laboratory testing of a blood sample confirmed that he had consumed drugs. The bureau has directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in future. The report also found that the aircraft's green hydraulic system had failed earlier that day. After that, the blue hydraulic system and the yellow hydraulic system also failed. After all three hydraulic systems failed, the aircraft's autopilot automatically shut down. The co-pilot then tried to control the aircraft, but the chief pilot took over the controls in between. During this, the aircraft first climbed 372 feet and then descended 292 feet. AAIB's inspection of the aircraft found that there was considerable damage inside the cabin. The hand rests of several seats, the overhead baggage cabin, the toilet cabin and the overhead ceiling were damaged. There were 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members on board. After the plane landed at the Delhi airport, the passengers were provided medical assistance. Of the 24 injured people, 20 were discharged from the hospital after first aid, while four people were kept in the hospital for a long time due to serious injuries.