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Air India makes dope test mandatory for all pilots after captain found positive for marijuana

Xinhua
| August 14, 2026
2026-08-14

NEW DELHI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Air India has ordered a mandatory dope test for all its pilots days after a captain, found responsible for mid-air turbulence, tested positive for marijuana, multiple local media reports said Thursday.

According to local television news channel NDTV, the dope test is mandatory for both Air India and Air India Express pilots.

The tests will be conducted concurrently with training at the Gurugram academy, post-flight at Air India's flight briefing centers and offices, the media report said.

Earlier this month, 17 people, including four cabin crew members, onboard an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi were injured after experiencing turbulence. The aircraft lost approximately 300 feet in altitude, triggering a mid-air scare among the passengers.

On Wednesday, the pilot-in-command tested positive for marijuana during a confirmatory test for psychoactive substances. Reports said he had earlier tested positive in a dope test conducted immediately after the flight landed. Enditem

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