New Delhi, August 17 (IANS). Two more Air India pilots have failed the preliminary drug test as part of a massive screening program launched after the Phuket-Delhi flight disaster. This information was given in a report.
The NDTV report quoted sources as saying that two additional pilots have failed the initial drug test conducted by the airline. However, as the results of the final drug test are awaited, both the pilots have been de-rostered (off duty) for now.
Air India ordered drug tests for all pilots under a new standard operating procedure (SOP). This step was taken after the chief pilot of the Phuket-Delhi flight failed two urine tests conducted after the plane landed.
Apart from this, according to reports, marijuana was also found in his body.
According to reports, this test has been done on more than 300 Air India pilots so far.
However, final drug test results usually take 24 to 48 hours to be processed.
A member of the cabin crew of a Phuket-Delhi flight is believed to have complained that the pilot had previously smoked marijuana.
The airline decided to tighten testing following an incident involving an Airbus A320neo operating on the Phuket-Delhi route.
According to reports, the main flight control parts of the plane suddenly lost control and it fell about 300 feet. Initial reports attributed the incident to turbulence, but later analysis of the aircraft's system data revealed that several hydraulic systems had failed.
According to reports, the plane's elevators, ailerons and spoilers were affected for a few seconds after the jet's hydraulic system malfunctioned. These systems are necessary to control the pitch, roll and descent of the aircraft.
According to the letter sent to the pilots, from August 13, the airline company has started mandatory screening of all pilots of the group for substances or drugs prohibited under aviation rules, in order to strengthen safety standards and public confidence.
–IANS
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