Turbulence injures 17 on Air India's Phuket-Delhi flight; crew suffer spinal, neck injuries

Seventeen people, including four cabin crew members, were injured when an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi hit severe mid-air turbulence for four to five minutes on Tuesday, August 4, causing the aircraft to suddenly lose about 300 feet in altitude, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said Wednesday.

Some of the injured crew members suffered spinal and neck injuries, the minister said at a briefing in the national capital.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe into the incident.

The flight, AI2379, was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members. Of those injured, 13 passengers and four crew members were hospitalised on Tuesday, August 4, for treatment.

According to the minister, the aircraft an Air India A320 bearing registration VT-EXO continued flying for another hour after the turbulence before landing, during which crew members "provided all the assistance required." Naidu described their conduct as "very brave" and thanked them for their bravery.

On the nature of the injuries, Naidu said a couple of crew members sustained spinal injuries near the tailbone as well as neck injuries, and doctors had advised them to rest.

A senior DGCA official said on Tuesday, August 4, that the Pilot in Command had reported a severe injury to one cabin crew member, an injury to another crew member, and minor injuries to a few passengers following the sudden altitude loss.

In a statement, Air India said that as of 3:30 pm on August 5, all 13 hospitalised passengers had been discharged, while four crew members remained under medical care and continued to receive treatment.

The airline added that its teams remained present at the hospitals and were in close contact with those affected.

(Inputs from PTI)