Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu meets the injured victim of Air India (AI2379) Phuket-Delhi flight turbulence incident at Fortis Hospital, in New Delhi on Tuesday, August 5, 2026.
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India’s civil aviation safety regulator on Wednesday summoned Air India’s management following the recent severe turbulence and sudden altitude loss involving a Phuket-Delhi flight, which left passengers and cabin crew injured, sources told businessline.Notably, the regulator is said to have intensified its investigation into the occurrence.“Air India officials were summoned today. They gave the status of passengers who were injured,” sources told businessline.Flight recorders under examinationLater in the day, while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said the DGCA has been directed to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and establish the reasons behind the sudden altitude loss experienced by Air India flight AI2379.“The DGCA has immediately started the investigation. The aircraft has been moved to a separate hangar, and the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder are in the possession of the DGCA. They will thoroughly investigate how and why this incident happened,” he said.Besides, Naidu said that the findings will be made public only after the investigation establishes the facts.Furthermore, he pointed out that the aircraft encountered severe turbulence for around four to five minutes during cruise, resulting in injuries to passengers and cabin crew.However, the aircraft continued its journey and landed safely in Delhi.Minister lauds cabin crew, outlines investigation scopeThe Minister, who visited the injured crew members at the hospital along with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA on Tuesday, praised the cabin crew for continuing to assist passengers despite sustaining injuries.“I would like to thank them for the bravery they have shown. Even after the incident, they continued to provide all the assistance that was required to the passengers,” he said.Moreover, Naidu added that the injured crew members are receiving all necessary medical assistance and support from both the hospitals and Air India.Additionally, he said the regulator would examine passenger accounts, crew statements, pilot inputs, and technical data retrieved from the aircraft’s flight recorders as part of the investigation.According to the Minister, the four injured crew members suffered spinal injuries, including injuries near the tailbone and neck, and remain under medical supervision in accordance with doctors’ advice.Air India says injured passengers dischargedOn its part, Air India said all 13 passengers admitted to the hospital following the August 4 incident had been discharged as of 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, while four crew members were still receiving medical treatment.In addition, the airline said its teams remained present at the hospitals and were in close contact with those affected to provide all necessary assistance and support.According to Air India, the Airbus A320neo was carrying 137 passengers and 8 crew members. Following the incident, 13 passengers and four crew members were admitted to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.Published on August 5, 2026
