AAIB flags drug use as serious safety concern after Air India turbulence incident

An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi experienced severe turbulence and multiple hydraulic failures, with the aircraft sustaining significant cabin damage during the extreme weather event. Following the incident, the pilot-in-command tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The Accident and Incident Investigation Board (AAIB) has issued an interim safety recommendation to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), flagging drug use as a serious concern and urging swift action. Investigations into the technical causes of the hydraulic failures are continuing.