BEA, Airbus teams to assist AAIB probe into Air India Phuket-Delhi turbulence incident

France's BEA and Airbus will send specialist teams to Delhi to assist India's AAIB in probing the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incident. The A320 lost around 300 feet in altitude during cruise on August 4, injuring at least 17 passengers and crew

Mumbai/ New Delhi: French aircraft accident probe agency BEA and Airbus will be sending their teams to assist AAIB in its investigation into the mid-air turbulence incident involving Air India’s Phuket-Delhi flight that left at least 17 people injured last week, according to sources.

The sources said the teams would be arriving in the national capital on Tuesday. On August 4, the Phuket-Delhi flight AI2379 operated with A320 aircraft VT-EXO experienced a sudden loss of altitude of approximately 300 feet during cruise, after which the aircraft stabilised and subsequently landed safely in the national capital.

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The incident is being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) as per Annexure 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). An Airbus spokesperson on Monday said its team of specialists is being dispatched to assist with the investigation.

“In accordance with ICAO Annex 13, Airbus is providing technical assistance to the relevant investigating authorities. We are actively supporting the airline and will provide further information as it becomes available. A team of specialists is being dispatched to assist with the investigation,” the Airbus spokesperson said in a statement.

On August 9, the civil aviation ministry said that in the AI2379 flight incident, injuries were reported to a few passengers and cabin crew members on board. There were 137 passengers, including 3 infants, and 8 crew members onboard. Meanwhile, the flight’s pilot-in-command has undergone confirmatory testing after an initial psychoactive substance screening indicated that the result requires further analysis, the ministry had said. The result of the confirmatory testing is awaited.