Air India Vienna Flight Drops 900 Feet Mid-Air; Pilots Off-Rostered Pending Probe

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st July: In a troubling incident that has raised fresh concerns over aviation safety, an Air India flight from Delhi to Vienna experienced a sudden drop of 900 feet mid-air shortly after takeoff on June 14. Both pilots operating the aircraft have been taken off the roster as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launches a detailed investigation into the matter.

The airline confirmed the action in a statement, adding that it had informed the DGCA in compliance with aviation regulations. “Upon receipt of the pilot’s report, the matter was disclosed to DGCA in accordance with regulations. Subsequently, upon receipt of data from the aircraft’s recorders, further investigation was initiated,” said an Air India spokesperson.

The flight, which departed from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, landed safely in Vienna after a nine-hour journey. No injuries were reported onboard.

The incident comes just two days after a catastrophic Air India crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, where a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed minutes after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and several on the ground. Only one person is confirmed to have survived. The crash’s black boxes – the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR) – have been recovered, with a preliminary probe report expected by July 11.

In the wake of these back-to-back aviation scares, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, led by JDU MP Sanjay Jha, will convene on June 23 to review aviation safety protocols and manpower shortages in the sector. Sources said that the committee will treat the Ahmedabad crash and other recent incidents as high-priority agenda items.