After a sudden crash that resulted in injuries to passengers on an Indian airline flight at the beginning of this month, the company conducted mandatory drug tests on its pilots. On August 17th, local time, India cited sources as saying that two more pilots failed the tests and are suspected of "drug intoxication."
According to sources, Indian Airlines began drug testing of all 5,000 pilots of its company and its subsidiary, IndiGo, on the 13th. Nearly 400 pilots have already undergone testing, and two of them tested ‘non-negative’, meaning they will undergo further testing.
However, the screening results are not equivalent to the final outcome. According to relevant aviation regulations, further testing and evaluation may still be required in the future.
Indian Airlines stated that for safety reasons, both pilots have been grounded from flying.
The Indian Civil Aviation Authority stipulates that if a pilot tests positive in the first drug test, they will be required to undergo detoxification and rehabilitation training. They can return to service after the test results turn negative. If they test positive in the second test, the pilot's license will be revoked for three years. If they test positive in the third test, their flying license will be revoked.
According to current Indian regulations, airlines must randomly test at least 10% of their crew members for psychoactive substances every year.
On the 4th of this month, an Air India Airbus A320 aircraft was flying from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi, the capital of India. The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers and 8 crew members. During the flight, the plane suddenly descended rapidly by about 90 meters, causing injuries to 20 passengers and 4 crew members. The plane eventually landed safely, but the pilot's drug test showed positive for marijuana.
Subsequently, the flight captain was found to have a positive result for psychiatric medication during an inspection conducted afterward. Air India stated that the test results “have not yet been provided to Air India,” and therefore the company cannot comment on this matter at this time. The test was conducted after the plane arrived in New Delhi on August 4th.
