An Air India flight travelling from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi ran into severe air turbulence on Tuesday morning, leaving 10 passengers and four cabin crew members injured. The aircraft, an Airbus A320 operating as flight AI 2379 with 134 people on board, suddenly dropped nearly 300 feet in altitude while cruising through an area of intense weather.
According to reports, the turbulence hit roughly ninety minutes into the flight, when many passengers were still asleep. The aircraft tilted sharply and shook violently for two to three minutes, throwing unbuckled passengers from their seats. A traveller who spoke to news agency ANI after landing described the aircraft tilting sharply and moving violently for around two to three minutes, with several passengers sustaining back and shoulder injuries.
Despite the scare, the pilots managed to stabilise the aircraft and continue safely to Indira Gandhi International Airport, where it landed shortly after 11 am local time. Anticipating injuries on board, ground authorities had already stationed ambulances and emergency medical teams at the airport to receive the flight.
On arrival, several injured passengers were helped off the aircraft in wheelchairs, while others were given first aid for head, neck and minor impact injuries before being taken for further medical evaluation at nearby hospitals. Videos circulating on social media showed medical staff assisting passengers into ambulances on the tarmac soon after the plane landed.
Air India has not yet issued a detailed statement on the exact cause of the turbulence, though officials indicated the aircraft flew into a pocket of severe weather during its cruise phase. Aviation experts note that such sudden altitude drops, often caused by clear-air turbulence, can be difficult to predict and are a reminder for passengers to keep seatbelts fastened even when the seatbelt sign is off.
Authorities are expected to conduct a routine safety review of the incident.