What began as a routine Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi quickly turned into a frightening ordeal after the aircraft encountered severe turbulence, leaving 17 people, including four cabin crew members, injured. Passengers have now shared harrowing accounts of the incident, describing scenes of panic, screaming and people being thrown into the air as the plane was violently shaken.
According to those on board flight AI2379, the turbulence struck without warning, sending luggage tumbling from overhead compartments and damaging parts of the cabin. Broken locker flaps fell into the aisle, while several bags remained hanging precariously as the aircraft continued to shake.
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Even the experienced cabin crew struggled to maintain calm. Passengers recalled hearing one flight attendant scream while another repeatedly urged everyone over the public address system to fasten their seatbelts as the aircraft battled the rough conditions.
One passenger, Minchen, who recorded a video from inside the aircraft, later described it as “the worst two hours” of her life. She urged travellers to keep their seatbelts fastened throughout flights, saying she witnessed people being thrown into the air, suffering head injuries and bleeding. “For a while, I genuinely thought we weren’t going to make it,” she said.
Another passenger told ANI that the aircraft suddenly dropped around 300 feet, causing his father, who had unfastened his seatbelt while having coffee, to slam into the cabin ceiling before crashing onto the floor. His mother also suffered head injuries after striking the overhead compartment, while part of the cabin structure reportedly fell and hit her near the eye.
The passenger’s wife and two-year-old daughter were also lifted off their seats during the turbulence and landed in the aisle between the rows. The child sustained a head injury and swelling before receiving treatment at the airport. Despite the traumatic experience, doctors described the injuries as minor, allowing the family to return home later that day.
Another traveller, Viviana from Italy, said she feared the worst after seeing her sister thrown into the air while her mother suffered a head injury. “We thought we would die,” she recalled, describing the panic that spread through the cabin.
Following the aircraft’s safe landing in Delhi, seven passengers were admitted to Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj for further medical evaluation. The hospital said patients underwent CT scans, MRIs and X-rays wherever required before being kept under observation. A Code Yellow emergency response was activated to ensure prompt treatment and coordination among medical teams.
Despite the frightening incident, passengers praised the professionalism of the pilots and cabin crew, saying they worked tirelessly to reassure everyone during the crisis. Several travellers, however, called for a detailed investigation into the turbulence episode to determine whether additional safety measures could help reduce the risk of injuries during unexpected mid-air disturbances.
The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, but for many on board, the terrifying experience will remain an unforgettable reminder of how quickly a routine flight can turn into a life-threatening ordeal.
