Four crew members and 13 passengers were hospitalized with injuries after an Air India flight "experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise" on Aug. 4, the airline said in a news release on X, formerly Twitter.
Flight AI2379 had departed from Phuket, Thailand, and was on its way to Delhi with 137 passengers and eight crew members. As reported by the Times of India, the Airbus A320neo had briefly encountered turbulence that caused it to abruptly drop around 300 feet.
Air India did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.
The flight continued its journey normally and landed safely in Delhi, according to the airline. Upon landing, the 13 passengers and four crew members were taken to hospitals for medical evaluation. In an Aug.
5 update on X, Air India said all 13 passengers were discharged, while the crew members were still receiving medical care.
Air India said its teams remain at the hospitals and are in close contact with those affected.
In accordance with safety and regulatory protocols, Indian authorities were alerted and have opened an investigation into the incident. The aircraft manufacturer has also been notified.
"Air India’s foremost priority remains the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew," an Air India spokesman said, according to the Times of India report. "We will continue to support those affected and their families and will work closely with the relevant authorities throughout the course of the investigation."
In May 2024, a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore hit severe turbulence that led to a dramatic drop in altitude. Passengers without seatbelts were flung to the ceiling, with one person killed and 30 others injured. The flight was diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing. Just over a month later, in June, a Korean Air flight that had departed Incheon Airport plunged more than 26,000 feet, causing a sudden depressurization that left multiple passengers with ear pain and hyperventilation.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A passenger jet's sudden midair drop leaves 17 hospitalized
