Flight AI 2379, an Airbus A320 carrying 134 passengers, was approaching Delhi on Tuesday morning when it encountered intense weather conditions. The aircraft reportedly shook violently and tilted sharply for several minutes, causing panic among passengers.
New Delhi:Fourteen people were injured after an Air India flight from Phuket to New Delhi encountered severe turbulence, causing the aircraft to lose nearly 300 feet in altitude during the flight.
Flight AI 2379, an Airbus A320 carrying 134 passengers, was approaching Delhi on Tuesday morning when it encountered intense weather conditions. The aircraft reportedly shook violently and tilted sharply for several minutes, causing panic among passengers.
Passengers and crew members who were not wearing seat belts were reportedly thrown from their seats, with several sustaining head, neck and shoulder injuries.
A passenger told ANI that the turbulence struck around 90 minutes into the flight, when many passengers were asleep. The sudden movement of the aircraft left several travellers injured.
The flight landed safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after 11 am, where emergency teams, ambulances and medical personnel were deployed to assist passengers.
Several passengers were examined at the airport, with some receiving first aid and others taken in wheelchairs for further medical evaluation.
In a statement, the airline said flight AI2379, operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, experienced a short turbulence event while cruising, resulting in a momentary loss of altitude.
Air India said there were no serious injuries. However, a small number of passengers and crew members who sustained minor injuries were taken to a medical facility at the airport for precautionary evaluation and treatment by the airline’s medical team.
“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.
Video footage purportedly recorded inside the aircraft and circulating on social media showed visible damage to parts of the cabin ceiling following the incident.
Visuals from the Delhi Airport shows a passenger, suffering facial and head injuries, being taken for treatment on wheelchairs.
Speaking to news agency ANI, a passenger described the turbulence as sudden and severe. The passenger claimed that the aircraft tilted sharply while many passengers were asleep.
The passenger stated that several people sustained injuries during the incident.
Those requiring additional medical attention were taken to an airport medical facility for precautionary examinations, the airline said.
Air India said passenger safety remains its top priority and that it would cooperate with aviation authorities reviewing the incident.
the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the incident.