Air India Flight Loses 300 Feet in Turbulence, 15 Injured

Fifteen people were injured when an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi suddenly dropped about 300 feet in severe turbulence — a jarring mid-air plunge that has now triggered a safety probe by the DGCA. ## How the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight lost altitude mid-air According to an Economic Times report, the Air India flight operating on the Phuket-Delhi route encountered turbulence that caused a rapid loss of roughly 300 feet. The sudden descent left 15 people on board injured. Details such as the exact flight number, the aircraft type and the precise location of the event have not been confirmed. Air India has not yet issued a detailed public statement on the incident. ## Why a 300-foot drop in turbulence is taken seriously A sudden altitude loss of this kind can throw unbelted passengers and crew out of their seats, resulting in head injuries, fractures and cuts. While such drops rarely threaten the aircraft itself, the danger to people inside the cabin is immediate and real. The DGCA's decision to intervene signals that the regulator is treating both the severity of the injuries and the nature of the turbulence seriously. ## What is known about the 15 injured on board At least 15 people were injured during the turbulence, as per the report. Whether they required hospitalisation or were treated onboard remains unclear. In similar incidents, the most vulnerable passengers are those seated without seatbelts fastened. Cabin crew typically provide first aid, with medical teams meeting the aircraft on arrival in more serious cases. ## DGCA probe: what the regulator will likely examine The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has begun an inquiry into the Air India turbulence incident, according to the report. Probes of this kind routinely involve reviewing flight data recorders, cockpit voice recordings and crew responses during the event. No conclusions have been announced. The investigation's findings, and any lapses it identifies, will determine the next steps. ## Turbulence injuries: a growing global concern This incident adds to a broader international pattern. In May 2024, a Singapore Airlines flight hit extreme turbulence and was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, leaving one person dead and dozens injured. Researchers have increasingly pointed to clear-air turbulence becoming more frequent, with changing climate patterns cited as a contributing factor. Each event is investigated separately, but regulators worldwide are paying closer attention to how airlines manage turbulence risk. ## Confirmed facts and what remains unclear **What is confirmed (as per The Economic Times):** An Air India flight on the Phuket-Delhi route lost 300 feet mid-air during turbulence; 15 people were injured; the DGCA has ordered a probe. **What remains unclear:** The flight number, the exact timing and location of the turbulence, the severity and treatment of the injuries, and any preliminary findings from the regulator