Passengers aboard the Delhi-Sydney Air India flight experienced injuries due to severe turbulence during their journey on Tuesday. Upon landing at Sydney Airport, Australia, the injured passengers received prompt medical assistance. However, no passenger required hospitalization, as reported by ANI, citing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The DGCA stated that the Air India B787-800 aircraft with the registration VT-ANY, operating flight AI-302 from Delhi to Sydney, encountered significant turbulence during the flight. Seven passengers reported minor sprains, and the cabin crew promptly administered emergency first aid with the assistance of a doctor and a nurse who were among the passengers.
The turbulence was so intense that multiple passengers reported injuries upon arrival at Sydney Airport. The airport manager arranged for medical assistance, but only three passengers availed themselves of it, and none required hospitalization, according to the DGCA.
Air India has not yet commented on the incident.
This incident follows another unusual occurrence on an Air India flight a month earlier when a scorpion bit a female passenger traveling from Nagpur to Mumbai. The passenger received immediate medical attention upon landing, was subsequently treated at a hospital, and was later discharged, as confirmed by the airline.
Air India addressed the scorpion incident as an extremely rare and unfortunate occurrence on flight AI 630 on April 23, 2023. The airline conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft, discovered the scorpion, and promptly carried out the necessary fumigation procedures.
As a precautionary measure, Air India requested its catering department to ensure that dry cleaners inspect their facilities for any potential infestation of bed bugs. If necessary, fumigation of the facilities would be conducted, as there is a possibility of bugs finding their way into the aircraft through the supplies, according to an Air India official cited by PTI.