News Desk
NEW DELHI: A passenger on an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi has claimed that the pilot appeared to be intoxicated before take-off, saying the captain had red eyes and responded unusually slowly when spoken to.
According to Indian media reports, Air India flight AI2379 was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members when the aircraft suddenly dropped about 300 feet during the flight on 4 August. At least 20 passengers and four crew members were seriously injured, the reports said.
The passenger said he and his brother were among the last people to board the aircraft and that the pilot boarded around the same time. When he asked the captain about the departure time, the pilot allegedly responded very slowly and appeared to have red eyes.
“I told my brother at the time that the pilot seemed intoxicated,” the passenger said.
He added that reports about the pilot’s initial drug tests following the incident strengthened his concerns. Indian media reported that the captain allegedly failed two drug tests and faced allegations of cannabis use.
Describing what happened during the flight, the passenger said that about two hours after breakfast had been served, there was a sudden and extremely loud noise. He said his brother was thrown against the aircraft’s ceiling several times, while luggage and other objects were sent flying through the cabin.
Several passengers were injured and began crying out for help, he said.
The passenger also questioned the pilot’s actions after the incident, claiming that one of the captain’s immediate concerns was stopping passengers from recording videos. According to the passenger, the pilot told them not to make videos because “it would become a bigger issue”.
The passenger questioned why the pilot appeared concerned about preventing recordings while people were dealing with a potentially life-threatening situation, arguing that priority should have been given to injured passengers and arranging immediate medical assistance.
He also claimed that despite injuries on board, the pilot did not make an emergency landing and instead continued towards Delhi. The passenger said the pilot mentioned that Lucknow was nearby but reportedly decided against landing there, saying medical facilities were not adequate and that reaching Delhi would be preferable.
Passengers have questioned why standard emergency procedures were allegedly not followed and why the aircraft was not diverted to a closer airport to provide urgent medical treatment to those injured.
Indian media reported that official investigations into the incident and the allegations against the pilot are continuing. The claims have not been independently established, and the findings of the investigation are awaited.
#AirIndia #AirIndiaFlight #AviationNews #IndiaNews #FlightSafety #BreakingNews
