Seventeen people were hospitalized after an Air India flight experienced a sudden loss of altitude during a trip from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India [1].
The incident highlights ongoing safety concerns regarding severe turbulence and unexpected altitude drops in commercial aviation. Such events can cause significant injuries to unrestrained passengers and crew members even during routine cruise phases.
The aircraft, an Airbus A320neo [5], dropped approximately 300 feet [4] during its cruise. This sudden descent resulted in 17 people being injured or hospitalized [1]. According to reports, the injured include 13 passengers and four crew members [2, 3].
At the time of the incident, the flight was carrying between 137 [6] and 145 [7] passengers, along with eight crew members [6]. The sudden movement reportedly threw passengers into the aisles and against the aircraft roof [7].
"The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise," an Air India spokesperson said [8].
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken over the investigation to determine the cause of the altitude drop. The agency is reviewing flight data and crew reports to establish why the aircraft descended abruptly.
"We have launched a detailed investigation into the incident," a DGCA spokesperson said [9].
“The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise.”
This event underscores the volatility of clear-air turbulence and sudden altitude deviations, which can occur without warning to pilots or passengers. The DGCA investigation will likely focus on whether the drop was caused by atmospheric conditions or a mechanical failure in the aircraft's altitude-hold systems, potentially impacting future safety protocols for the A320neo fleet.
