Probe agency calls Air India pilot's drug use a 'serious concern', seeks DGCA action

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) says confirmation of drug use by the pilot-in-command of an Air India flight is a “serious concern,” and it has urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take action. In a preliminary report on the August 4 incident—an Airbus A320-251N, registration VTEXO, on the Phuket-to-Delhi AI 2379 route—the AAIB said the pilot tested non-negative for psychoactive substances in a confirmatory test. The report also states the flight was initially reported as experiencing turbulence, and based on evidence and injuries, it was classified as an accident. After landing, 24 people received medical assistance, including four with serious injuries.