NEW DELHI: An Air India flight from Thailand’s Phuket to New Delhi encountered severe mid-air turbulence on Tuesday, injuring passengers and cabin crew after the aircraft briefly lost around 300 feet in altitude.
The Airbus A320, operating flight AI2379, landed safely at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 11:30 a.m. local time. There were 134 passengers and eight crew members on board, according to Indian media reports.
An Air India flight operating from Phuket to Delhi experienced major turbulence on Tuesday, resulting in the aircraft suddenly dropping by approximately 300 feet during the flight. Around 14 people, including passengers and cabin crew, were injured. pic.twitter.com/azj9ve1TRC
— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) August 4, 2026
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it was probing the turbulence-related incident.
According to Indian media reports, at least 15 people, including 11 passengers and four cabin crew members, were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.
A senior DGCA official said the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of approximately 300 feet in altitude during the flight, leaving one cabin crew member seriously injured, another crew member injured and several passengers with minor injuries.
Incident involving Air India Flight AI2379 (Phuket–Delhi) on 04.08.2026
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https://t.co/kW6mvMNFzM…@RamMNK @mohol_murlidhar @samirsinha69 @MoCA_GoI @DGCAIndia @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/vrZGZjqS8g— M/o Civil Aviation, India (@Pib_MoCA) August 4, 2026
Air India confirmed that the aircraft experienced a brief turbulence-related event during the cruise phase of the flight, resulting in a momentary change in altitude.
“The aircraft landed safely in Delhi and all passengers and crew have disembarked,” the airline said in a statement.
Delhi: Air India flight AI 2379 from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe mid-air turbulence, resulting in minor injuries to several people onboard pic.twitter.com/GKWPWucRlx
— IANS (@ians_india) August 4, 2026
The carrier said there had been no reports of serious injuries. It added that a small number of passengers and crew members with minor injuries requiring medical assessment had been taken to a medical facility at the airport as a precaution.
Passengers describe sudden drop
A passenger told ANI that the turbulence struck about an hour and a half after take-off while many passengers were asleep.
“It had been around an hour and a half since take-off. We were sleeping when the aircraft suddenly stopped moving normally and turned around. It continued like that for two to three minutes,” the passenger said.
#WATCH | Delhi: Several passengers injured after Air India flight encounters severe air turbulence while travelling from Phuket to Delhi pic.twitter.com/OM1lXKRKcm
— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2026
Another passenger said the aircraft experienced a sudden drop in altitude.
“There was a sudden drop in the plane’s altitude. I hit my head on the roof and then fell down,” the passenger said.
The passenger interviewed by ANI said that around 15 to 20 people were injured and said legal action would be taken against the airline.
Visuals from Delhi airport showed ambulances outside the terminal, while some passengers were seen in wheelchairs and others with bandages before being taken for medical checks.
#Breaking – At least 12 people, including passengers and crew injured after Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence and a sudden drop in altitude before landing safely in Delhi pic.twitter.com/8bLdK7AAAW
— NEWS WALA (@NEWSWALApy) August 4, 2026
According to Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital, seven passengers from the flight were admitted for medical evaluation and treatment after Air India alerted the facility about the incident.
The hospital said the passengers were assessed immediately and underwent radiological examinations, including CT scans, MRI scans and X-rays where required, before being kept under observation. A Code Yellow was activated to coordinate the medical response.
The DGCA said the incident was under investigation, while Air India said it was fully cooperating with the aviation regulator.
The incident has once again highlighted the risks posed by severe turbulence, although injuries caused by turbulence remain relatively uncommon.
Air India’s accident history
Air India, India’s national carrier, traces its origins to 1932 and operates an extensive international network across Asia, Europe, Australia, North America and other regions.
Despite its long history, the airline has experienced several major accidents and security incidents over the decades.
The airline’s most recent major tragedy occurred on June 12, 2025, when Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad.
Air India said 241 of the 242 people on board were killed, while reports also recorded fatalities on the ground. A preliminary investigation found that the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches moved almost simultaneously shortly after take-off, briefly cutting fuel supply to both engines.
The accident marked the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 and Air India’s first crash since the Tata Group acquired the airline in 2022.
Among the airline’s other major accidents was the 2020 Air India Express Flight 1344 crash at Kozhikode, in which 21 people died after the aircraft overshot the runway during heavy monsoon rain.
In 2010, Air India Express Flight 812 crashed after overrunning the runway at Mangalore, killing 158 people.
Air India’s deadliest disaster remains the bombing of Flight 182, known as Emperor Kanishka, in 1985. The Boeing 747 exploded over the Atlantic Ocean off Ireland after a bomb concealed in its cargo detonated, killing all 329 people on board.
