An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence on Tuesday, causing the aircraft to drop approximately 300 feet [2].
The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of atmospheric instability and the critical importance of seatbelt compliance during flight to prevent passenger injuries.
Flight AI379 was carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members [1]. The aircraft hit a sudden patch of severe atmospheric turbulence while flying over the Bay of Bengal region [4, 5]. The sudden movement caused overhead bins to open and tossed passengers into the aisles [3, 4].
Reports on the number of casualties vary. One report said 17 people were injured [3], while another listed 14 injuries [6]. Passengers described a scene of total chaos inside the cabin as the plane plummeted.
Shilpi Jain, a passenger on the flight, said, "The plane dropped about 300 feet and the cabin was in chaos" [2]. She said, "We thought we would die" [7].
Another passenger, speaking in a video interview, said, "It was the worst two hours of my life" [1]. The severity of the turbulence left passengers hitting the roof of the cabin and being thrown from their seats [3].
Air India has not yet released a formal technical report on the cause of the atmospheric disturbance. The flight continued its route toward Delhi after the incident occurred on Aug. 4, 2026 [3].
“"The plane dropped about 300 feet and the cabin was in chaos."”
This event underscores the increasing risks associated with clear-air turbulence, which can occur without warning even in seemingly clear skies. The discrepancy in injury reports—ranging from 14 to 17 people—suggests the initial chaos made immediate casualty counts difficult. Such incidents often prompt aviation authorities to review flight path data and weather forecasting accuracy in the Bay of Bengal region.
