Air India Delhi-Vienna Flight Plunged 900 Feet Mid-Air, Days After Ahmedabad Crash

New Delhi:

An Air India flight took off from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for Vienna on June 14. However, soon after takeoff, it lost altitude – the plane dropped 900 feet mid-air. Both pilots have now been off-rostered pending the outcome of the investigation, the airline said. The incident happened two days after an Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff, killing all but one person on board.

The action was taken after the matter was disclosed to the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in “accordance with regulations”, Air India said in a statement.

“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. The pilots have been off-rostered pending the outcome of the investigation,” an Air India spokesperson.

The Boeing 777 landed safely in Vienna after a flight of 9 hours and 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary panel led by JDU MP Sanjay Jha is all set to review recent air crashes and also manpower gaps in the aviation sector. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, chaired by Mr Jha, will meet on June 23 to take up aviation