Overview
- The Air India A320 abruptly lost about 300 feet on Aug. 4 while flying from Phuket to New Delhi, then stabilized and landed with 137 passengers and eight crew aboard.
- Indian authorities revised the injury toll to 24 and reported multiple passengers and crew were taken to hospital after the landing.
- The Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau has classified the event as 'grave' and is leading the probe while Airbus has deployed a team of technical specialists to New Delhi and France’s BEA is participating remotely.
- Both pilots underwent standard screening for psychoactive substances; the captain’s initial result required a confirmation test and authorities have not yet released the result, while local media reports of a failed second test and in‑flight technical problems remain unverified.
- The incident adds to pressure on Air India after the June 2025 crash and comes during the carrier’s Tata-led restructuring, raising the prospect of tighter regulatory scrutiny and scrutiny of operational and training practices.