What happened
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation said laboratory drug test results are awaited for the captain of an Air India flight involved in an incident last week. The incident involved an Airbus A320 flight departing from Phuket to New Delhi on August 4 carrying 137 passengers including crew. The aircraft dropped about 300 feet mid-air, but later stabilised and landed safely.
Background and earlier position
The Ministry stated that initial drug test findings need further confirmation and that both pilots involved are temporarily removed from flying duties pending investigation. Media reports cited unnamed sources and alleged that the captain could have tested positive for marijuana in follow-up screening.
What changed now
The key update is the Ministry’s statement that laboratory confirmation is still pending, and that the final drug-test results and related details are expected to be included in the inquiry report. Until then, the interim safety action—temporary removal of both pilots from flying duties—remains in place.
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