An Air India Airbus A320 Drops 300 Feet Following Severe Turbulence on Phuket–Delhi Route: 17 Injured
An Airbus A320neo operated by Air India on flight AI2379 between Phuket, Thailand, and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, India, encountered severe turbulence during the cruise phase of flight.
Approximately 90 minutes after departure, the aircraft suffered a sudden altitude loss of roughly 300 ft. (91 m). The abrupt drop threw unrestrained passengers, cabin crew members, and loose items toward the cabin ceiling.
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Cabin Impact and Casualties
The violent motion caused visible damage to the passenger cabin interior, including cracked and detached ceiling panels and sidewall linings. Aviation experts note that such interior damage stems from direct impacts by unbelted occupants and loose objects hitting internal structures, rather than structural failure of the airframe itself.
- Injuries: At least 17 people sustained injuries, including members of the cabin crew.
- Medical Response: Following landing in Delhi shortly after 11:00 local time, emergency medical personnel treated the victims; several were transferred to local hospitals, while others underwent precautionary medical evaluations.
- No Diversion: Flight-tracking data confirms the aircraft did not require an emergency landing or diversion to an alternate airport, completing its scheduled route without further operational issues.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Air India confirmed the incident, stating that the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew remain its highest priority. The airline highlighted that the aircraft landed within normal parameters.
The event underscores the latent hazard of Clear-Air Turbulence (CAT), a meteorological phenomenon notoriously difficult to forecast due to the absence of cloud cover or visual advance warnings. Consequently, the aviation industry continuously reinforces its recommendation for passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened at all times while seated.
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