Air India Pilot Tests Positive for Cannabis After Flight Carrying 145 Plunges 300 Feet

The Air India pilot on the Phuket–Delhi flight that was hit by severe turbulence on 4 August has tested positive for cannabis. This was revealed in a drug test, as reported by the New Indian Express on Thursday (13/8/2026).

The Airbus A320 flight, AI 2379, which was carrying 145 people, experienced a drop in altitude of around 300 feet in the air over Odisha, a state in eastern India. A total of 17 people, including four cabin crew, were injured in the incident, which was initially described as “related to a technical fault”.

“The pilot who served as pilot-in-command on the Air India Delhi–Phuket flight tested positive for cannabis use in a confirmatory drug test,” the report stated, citing two sources familiar with the development.

A pilot also confirmed the development. The captain, who is in his late 30s, is likely to face severe sanctions, including dismissal by Air India.

The pilot has already been removed from the flight schedule. This also applies to the co-pilot on the same flight.

Earlier on Tuesday, India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu warned that action would be taken if pilots were proven to have used prohibited substances. He also said he would summon Air India CEO Campbell Wilson regarding the Phuket flight incident.

“If a pilot is proven to have misused any substance, it will be dealt with very seriously. If existing regulations need to be adjusted, we will do so as well,” he told reporters the day before yesterday.

Previously, after the incident on 4 August, the authorities at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi were asked by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to carry out two types of checks. A source said that after the aircraft arrived in Delhi, both pilots underwent breathalyser tests to detect alcohol content, and the results were negative for both.

They then underwent blood and urine tests. Because the results of the main pilot’s examination showed the presence of psychotropic substances, a confirmatory test was carried out again and the samples were sent to a certified laboratory to confirm the results.

“Hair samples were also taken,” the source added.

Air India said it was not aware of the initial test results or the final test results. The company declined to comment.