Air India AI2379 Drops 300 Feet After Hydraulic Failure | Pilot Drug Test Raises Alarm

An Air India Phuket-Delhi flight turned into a terrifying ordeal after the aircraft suddenly lost around 300 feet of altitude on August 4. An initial probe found that all three hydraulic systems failed within around two seconds, causing the flight controls to be lost for four seconds and affecting several critical aircraft functions. The incident has also drawn scrutiny after the captain of the flight tested positive for marijuana. Following the incident, Air India ordered mandatory psychoactive substance tests for its pilots from August 13. Around 300 to 400 pilots have undergone screening so far, with the process continuing across the Air India group. According to an India Today inside scoop, two Air India group pilots have tested non-negative in the mandatory tests. This means their initial samples flagged a substance or chemical marker, although confirmatory testing is still awaited to establish whether a psychoactive substance was actually consumed. The latest developments have put aviation safety and pilot screening firmly in focus as authorities await the final test results and further findings into the Phuket-Delhi flight incident.