hit Air India flight pilot tests positive for drugs
An Air India pilot has tested positive for psychoactive substances following an incident where a flight experienced a sudden altitude drop. The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are currently investigating the event and the crew's medical status.
Why it matters
This incident raises significant concerns regarding aviation safety protocols and the enforcement of mandatory drug testing for flight crews.
The pilot in command of the Air India flight that suddenly lost about 300 feet of altitude last week has tested positive for psychoactive substances in a confirmatory laboratory test, sources said on Tuesday.This came as Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu met Air India’s outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson to seek a direct update from the airline on the incident.Naidu said aviation safety remained the ministry’s top priority and there could be no compromise by airlines, regulators or any other stakeholder.The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said the probe agency, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), was examining technical, operational, medical and human-factor evidence linked to the Phuket-Delhi flight’s sudden altitude variation.The development puts renewed focus on both the flight crew and the aircraft’s systems as investigators work to establish what caused the Airbus A320 to lose altitude during cruise on August 4.The MoCA said the Air India aircraft, registered…
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