An Air India flight operating from Phuket to Delhi encountered turbulence during the cruise phase of its journey on Tuesday, leaving 12 people, including 10 passengers and two crew members, with minor injuries. The Airbus A320 landed safely in Delhi, where those requiring medical attention were taken to the airport's medical centre for precautionary assessment.
According to the airline, the aircraft experienced a brief turbulence-related event that resulted in a momentary change in altitude before completing the flight safely.
The affected flight, AI2379, departed Phuket at 8:41 am local time and landed in Delhi at approximately 11 am, according to flight tracking data.
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A320, registered as VT-EXO.
In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said the aircraft experienced "a brief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise, resulting in a momentary change in altitude."
The airline confirmed:
According to airline officials and sources cited in media reports, 12 people sustained injuries during the turbulence event.
The injured included:
Air India said a small number of passengers and crew members requiring medical assessment were taken to a medical facility at the airport, where they were attended by the airline's airport team and medical personnel.
The airline added it is providing all necessary support to those affected and is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.
According to reports, the incident is expected to come under review by India's aviation regulator.
Air India said it is cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of the investigation into the turbulence event.
A passenger speaking to ANI described the turbulence as occurring around one-and-a-half hours after departure.
The passenger said many travellers were asleep when the aircraft experienced sudden movement and continued to shake for several minutes before stabilising.
The airline has not reported any injuries beyond those requiring precautionary medical assessment.
Turbulence is a common feature of commercial aviation and can occur for several reasons, including changing weather conditions, airflow around thunderstorms, strong winds near airports and atmospheric disturbances associated with jet streams.
While turbulence is encountered daily on flights around the world, aviation experts note that incidents resulting in serious injuries are relatively uncommon. Airlines are trained to respond to such events using established operational and safety procedures designed to protect passengers and crew.
Join the conversation
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Sign In to Comment