Airbus joins probe into Air India flight plunge

Airbus is dispatching experts to New Delhi to support investigators examining an Air India flight that plunged by about 300 feet (91 metres) on August 4, injuring 17 people. The Airbus A320 was flying from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi with 137 passengers and eight crew when it lost altitude, later stabilised and landed safely. India’s civil aviation ministry classified the event as a “Serious Incident” and said the investigation is being handled by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Airbus said it is providing technical assistance, while Air India said it is fully cooperating and would not comment on findings. Eight passengers and four cabin crew were admitted to hospitals. The probe is also awaiting confirmatory psychoactive drug test results for the chief pilot after standard screening showed a result requiring further testing; both pilots were removed from the flying roster during investigations.