If the pilot of the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that experienced severe mid-air turbulence is found to have tested positive for drugs, he could lose his flying licence and face other penalties, according to the head of the pilots' body.
Captain CS Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, said the airline had not yet made the post-flight drug test results public and that he would not comment on reports that the pilot had tested positive until there was official confirmation, according to an IANS report.
"We shall wait for the formal confirmation, as the airline has not yet released the drug test results. If the test is positive, I won't comment on it," he said.
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Randhawa said that if the test results are confirmed positive, the pilot could face penalties, including the possible revocation of his flying licence.
"The pilot's licence may potentially be revoked if the test appears to be positive," he said.
"I will say we have to wait for the report about the doping test, and only then can we comment on it. The penalty can also be imposed on the pilot for the future, and there are some consequences he can suffer from this," Randhawa added.
His remarks came amid reports that the captain of an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi, which encountered severe turbulence and injured several passengers and crew members, had tested positive for psychotropic substances.
Air India has said it regularly conducts drug tests on crew members in accordance with civil aviation regulations. However, the airline said it had not been informed of the results of the pilot's post-flight screening test.
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The Airbus A320, operating as Air India flight AI2379, experienced an abrupt altitude change of about 300 feet after encountering severe turbulence over Odisha.
The aircraft subsequently stabilised and landed safely at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
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