Indian aviation authorities are investigating an Air India flight that lost around 300 feet shortly after taking off from Thailand’s Phuket for New Delhi on August 4, injuring 24 people, according to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The probe comes amid local media reports that the flight’s captain tested positive for marijuana in a follow-up drug screening. According to Malay Mail, the captain’s initial test had produced a result requiring confirmatory analysis, while both pilots were suspended from flying pending the investigation.

The Airbus A320, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, landed safely in New Delhi. The AAIB said it was examining technical, operational, medical and human-factor evidence as part of an independent investigation.

Air India said it could not comment on the reported test results because authorities had not shared the findings with the airline. Airbus and France’s aviation safety agency BEA are assisting the inquiry.

The incident adds to pressure on Air India following the June 2025 crash of Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 people on board and 19 people on the ground.

BOB Post