New Delhi, Sept. 4 -- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday published its preliminary report into a serious mid-air incident involving Air India flight AI-2379, an Airbus A320neo (registration VT-EXO) carrying 145 passengers, including 3 infants, 6 cabin crew, and 2 flight crew from Phuket to Delhi.

Initially reported as a severe turbulence encounter, the event has been officially reclassified as an accident due to multiple injuries and cabin damage. The report also highlights critical post-flight medical findings showing that the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) tested non-negative for psychoactive substances.

On August 4, 2026, while cruising at Flight Level 360 (FL360) in the Kolkata FIR at 04:02 UTC (09:32 IST), the airc...