Fourteen people sustained injuries, including one crew member with a severe injury, after an Air India flight suddenly dropped approximately 300 feet mid-air. The Airbus A320 aircraft, operating as flight AI2379 from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India, encountered severe turbulence about 90 minutes into its journey.
Passengers described a terrifying experience as the plane dropped, throwing people and objects around the cabin. One passenger told Asian News International (ANI) that they witnessed fellow travelers being thrown from their seats and observed blood on another passenger's face. "We thought we would die. It was really scary," the passenger recounted.
The flight ultimately landed safely at its destination in Delhi at approximately 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Those injured were taken to a medical facility at the New Delhi airport for assessment.
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation is investigating the incident. Air India confirmed the event, stating that the flight experienced a "brief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise, resulting in a momentary change in altitude." The airline added that a small number of passengers and crew members with minor injuries received medical assessment and care.
"The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain Air India’s highest priority," the airline said in a statement.