Airbus and France’s BEA join the probe after an Air India flight dropped 300 feet in severe turbulence, injuring 17.
Published: August 10, 2026, 9:47 PM IST
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Watch: Terrifying moment Air India flight hits severe turbulence, air hostess pleads… | Image; X
Air India Phuket-Delhi flight news: Aircraft manufacturer Airbus and French aviation accident investigation agency BEA are joining the inquiry into an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incidentThe Airbus A320neo aircraft abruptly dropped 300 feet after encountering severe air turbulence at an altitude of 36,000 feet, leaving 17 people on board injuredIndia’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has formally classified the event as a serious incident, prompting international experts to assist local authorities in determining the precise sequence of events.
What Airbus said on Air India Phuket-Delhi flight accident?
“In accordance with ICAO Annex 13, Airbus is providing technical assistance to the relevant investigating authoritiesWe are actively supporting the airline and will provide further information as it becomes availableA team of specialists is being dispatched to assist with the investigation,” an Airbus spokesperson saidFrance’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), the country’s air accident investigation agency, is also participating in the investigation.
Also read: Watch: Terrifying moment Air India flight hits severe turbulence, air hostess pleads…
Under ICAO’s Annex 13, the country where an aircraft is designed or manufactured can appoint representatives to participate in an investigationAirbus, as the manufacturer of the A320 involved in the incident, can also provide technical assistance to investigatorsThe aerospace giant’s participation is part of the technical support provided by aircraft manufacturers under the framework of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13Such assistance can include helping investigators understand aircraft systems and analyse technical and flight data
Aircraft’s sudden altitude variation under investigation
The investigation is also examining the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s sudden altitude variation and the actions of the flight crewThe plane’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been secured for examination as part of the investigationThese records are expected to help investigators reconstruct the aircraft’s response during the turbulence encounter and establish whether any aircraft systems or warnings were involved.
DGCA removes both pilots from roster
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has removed both pilots from the roster pending the investigationThe pilots were subjected to post-flight screening for psychoactive substances after arriving in DelhiThe initial screening test of the pilot-in-command was “not negative” and the sample has been sent for a confirmatory test, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on SundayThe government said further action would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation and the confirmatory test.
(With inputs from agencies)
