New Delhi, August 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Airbus and France’s aviation accident investigation agency BEA will participate in the probe into the Air India Phuket-Delhi flight incident in which 17 people were injured after an A320neo aircraft suddenly lost around 300 feet in altitude while flying through turbulence at 36,000 feet, sources said on Monday.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has classified the incident as a serious incident.
“In accordance with ICAO Annex 13, Airbus is providing technical assistance to the relevant investigating authorities. We are actively supporting the airline and will provide further information as it becomes available. A team of specialists is being dispatched to assist with the investigation,” an Airbus spokesperson said.
France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) is also participating in the investigation. Under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the country where an aircraft is designed or manufactured can appoint representatives to participate in an accident investigation.
As the manufacturer of the A320neo involved in the incident, Airbus can provide investigators with technical expertise on aircraft systems and assist in analysing flight and technical data.
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s sudden altitude change and the actions of the flight crew during the turbulence encounter.
The aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been secured for examination. The recordings are expected to help investigators reconstruct the aircraft’s response to the turbulence and determine whether any aircraft systems, alerts or warnings were involved.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has removed both pilots from the roster pending completion of the investigation.
The pilots underwent post-flight screening for psychoactive substances after arriving in Delhi. According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the initial screening test of the pilot-in-command was “not negative”, and the sample has been sent for confirmatory testing.
The government said further action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation and the outcome of the confirmatory test.
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