Air India Phuket-Delhi flight hit by severe turbulence, 12 passengers injured
In a statement, Air India said all the passengers and crew disembarked flight AI2379 after it landed in the national capital, adding that the injured persons were taken to a medical facility at the airport for treatment.
An Air India flight operating from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence on Monday, briefly losing altitude and leaving at least 12 passengers with minor injuries. According to multiple reports, the aircraft dropped about 300 feet during the turbulence.
Data available on flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that flight AI2379, operated by an Airbus A320, briefly lost altitude shortly before landing in Delhi.
In a statement, Air India said all the passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft after it landed, adding that the injured persons were taken to a medical facility at the airport for treatment.
"The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain Air India's highest priority. We are providing all necessary support to those affected and are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities as part of the investigation," an Air India spokesperson said.
Footage from inside the aircraft has gone viral on social media, showing cracks in the cabin ceiling allegedly caused by the impact of the turbulence.
Speaking to news agency ANI, a passenger on board the flight claimed the aircraft experienced a sudden jolt about an hour and a half into the journey while most passengers were asleep.
According to the passenger, the aircraft abruptly dropped and swayed violently for nearly two to three minutes, leaving several people injured.
He claimed that a majority of those on board were affected, and said legal action would be pursued against Air India over the incident.
Tuesday's incident comes more than a year after a Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight was caught in severe hailstorm-induced turbulence while approaching the J&K capital city, damaging the aircraft's nose cone during its landing attempt.
Videos recorded inside the cabin during the ordeal had gone viral, showing hailstones pounding the aircraft as it shook violently, with frightened passengers screaming and praying amid the intense turbulence.