Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Aug 11
The pilot-in-command of an Air India flight that encountered severe turbulence on a Phuket-Delhi route last week has tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory test, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
The Airbus A320 operating flight AI2379 on August 4 suddenly lost about 300 feet in altitude during turbulence, injuring at least 17 people.
There were 145 people aboard, including 137 passengers and eight crew members.
Both pilots underwent mandatory screening for psychoactive substances following the incident.
The Civil Aviation Ministry said on August 9 that the screening result of the pilot-in-command required confirmatory testing and that the sample had been sent to a designated laboratory.
Sources said on Tuesday that the confirmatory test had detected marijuana.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has removed both pilots from the flight roster pending completion of the investigation and testing process.
The incident is being examined as authorities assess the circumstances surrounding the turbulence and the subsequent screening result.
