UPDATE: Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi leaves 17 injured after turbulence

Air India flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi encountered a brief turbulence-related event on 4 August 2026 that caused a sudden loss of altitude, with 13 passengers and four crew members injured, Air India said, according to The Phuket News. The Airbus A320neo departed Phuket with 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members aboard.

Air India said all passengers and crew disembarked safely at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 11:07am Indian Standard Time. Travel And Tour World reported that the aircraft encountered severe clear-air turbulence during cruise and allegedly dropped approximately 300 feet. The report said the flight crew maintained control throughout the incident.

Passengers described a sudden drop in altitude during the flight. One passenger said after landing: “There was a sudden drop in the plane’s altitude. I hit my head on the roof and then fell down.” Air India said there had been no serious injuries and that the affected passengers and crew were taken to hospital for medical evaluation as a precaution.

Travel And Tour World reported that several people were treated at hospitals including Fortis Hospital and Medanta for injuries such as head contusions, cervical strain and pressure-related ear trauma. Air India later said five injured passengers had been discharged after precautionary examinations, while the remaining injured passengers and crew continued to receive treatment and care.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had launched an investigation. The civil aviation minister visited injured passengers in hospital with senior ministry officials and the Director General of the DGCA. The aircraft was moved to a hangar, where investigators secured its flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder for examination as part of the inquiry, alongside technical inspections and data retrieval.