12 people were injured after an Air India Airbus A320 flying from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence on Tuesday, August 4, forcing some passengers who were not wearing seatbelts into the cabin ceiling.

Flight A12379 was carrying 134 people when it was hit by a sudden drop about 90 minutes after leaving Phuket. The early-morning service was cruising at altitude when the turbulence struck, with reports of cracks to the aircraft's interior.

The aircraft landed safely at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport at about 11am local time. Emergency services were waiting on the tarmac and injured passengers and crew were taken by ambulance for treatment.

Sudden drop during cruise

A passenger said the aircraft shook for around two to three minutes and tilted during the episode. Many people had been asleep when the turbulence began, the passenger said.

Video from the cabin showed frightened passengers as the aircraft shook, including one man with his arm in a sling. Other images showed people being transferred from the aircraft, with some wearing head bandages.

Air India described the episode as a "brief turbulence-related event" while the aircraft was at cruising altitude. The airline said a sudden change in altitude occurred before the crew regained control of the aircraft.

Passengers taken for treatment

Those affected were taken to the Medanta medical centre in Gurugram, southwest of New Delhi. One patient was believed to have suffered a spinal fracture.

Pictures courtesy of Daily Mail

However, airline bosses said that, "as of now", no serious injuries had been reported. Air India said the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew remained its main priority and that it would provide the "necessary support" to those affected.

The carrier also said it would co-operate fully with authorities during the investigation.

Turbulence can occur without much warning, particularly while passengers are resting or moving around the cabin. The reported injuries in this case involved people who were not wearing seatbelts when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude.

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5 August 2026

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Getting Indians to comply with even the most basic safety protocols is like herding cats. A speedy recovery to the injured cabin crew.

Being that Indians have their seatbelts unclipped before the the jet has even landed and are emptying the overheads as its rolling down the runway upon touchdown it's amazing that more weren't injured.

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Being that Indians have their seatbelts unclipped before the the jet has even landed and are emptying the overheads as its rolling down the runway upon touchdown it's amazing that more weren't injured.

Many years ago I flew from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur with Korean airlines, I was the only westerner on the plane. The aeroplane had only just got to the end of the runway when all passengers were unloading their bags, air stewardesses running up and down the isle trying to stop them, one of the ladies glanced at me and smiled, I was the only passenger still seated

I wish the injured cabin crew a speedy recovery.

Indians do not listen, take precautions or respect the aircraft rules.

I no longer wish or want to fly Air India.

"The reported injuries in this case involved people who were not wearing seatbelts when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude."

In most major aviation jurisdictions (including the US under FAA rules, Europe under EASA, and many others following ICAO standards), the pilot-in-command must ensure that passengers are notified to fasten their seat belts before the aircraft moves on the surface, before takeoff, and before landing.

On every flight, the pilot always says before take off....please ensure your seat belt is fastened....also we recommend that you keep your seat belt fastened at all times while seated, even when the seat belt sign is switched off, unless going to the bathroom.

Maybe Indians are hard of hearing??

No gold chains were stolen during this turbulence !! 👍

50 minutes ago, Expat68 said:

I was the only passenger still seated

Taking glee at holding back the passenger on your inside wanting to get out. (As I have done few times!)

While this has happened on other airlines, like the really bad incident on Singapore Airlines from turbulence, the fact it was Air India is just one-too-many negative stories involving them. I avoid that airline completely.

4 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

Getting Indians to comply with even the most basic safety protocols is like herding cats. A speedy recovery to the injured cabin crew.

How were the passengers involved in this incident not complying with safety protocols?

You wish a speedy recovery for the cabin crew but not for the Indian passengers? Interesting.

1 hour ago, NobbyClarke said:

Indians do not listen, take precautions or respect the aircraft rules

Were the Indian passengers on this flight not complying with rules or not taking mandatory precautions? I did not see where that was reported.

1 hour ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"The reported injuries in this case involved people who were not wearing seatbelts when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude."

In most major aviation jurisdictions (including the US under FAA rules, Europe under EASA, and many others following ICAO standards), the pilot-in-command must ensure that passengers are notified to fasten their seat belts before the aircraft moves on the surface, before takeoff, and before landing.

On every flight, the pilot always says before take off....please ensure your seat belt is fastened....also we recommend that you keep your seat belt fastened at all times while seated, even when the seat belt sign is switched off, unless going to the bathroom.

Maybe Indians are hard of hearing??

The recommendation to use seat belts during the flight it's just a recommendation as opposed to the mandatory instruction to use them at a pre-prescribed times. It is grossly unfair of you to disparage them for not contravening any regulations and, along with several other posters' comments on this thread, smacks strongly of unjustified racism.

4 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

Getting Indians to comply with even the most basic safety protocols is like herding cats. A speedy recovery to the injured cabin crew.

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

12 people were injured after an Air India Airbus A320 flying from Phuket to Delhi encountered severe turbulence on Tuesday, August 4, forcing some passengers who were not wearing seatbelts into the cabin ceiling.

Flight A12379 was carrying 134 people when it was hit by a sudden drop about 90 minutes after leaving Phuket. The early-morning service was cruising at altitude when the turbulence struck, with reports of cracks to the aircraft's interior.

One would presume the 12 injured where either passengers not wearing seatbelts or cabin crew going about their duties. The majority, 122 people (91%) were unhurt so most likely following safety protocols and wearing their seatbelts.

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The recommendation to use seat belts during the flight it's just a recommendation as opposed to the mandatory instruction to use them at a pre-prescribed times. It is grossly unfair of you to disparage them for not contravening any regulations and, along with several other posters' comments on this thread, smacks strongly of unjustified racism.

Accusing someone of racism because they pointed out basic passenger negligence is a lazy attempt to derail a clear discussion on aviation safety. The distinction between a regulatory "mandatory requirement" and an airline's "strong recommendation" is completely irrelevant when gravity and clear-air turbulence take over.

When an aircraft encounters severe clear-air turbulence or a sudden downdraft, an unbuckled body instantly becomes an airborne projectile. Ignoring explicitly stated safety announcements—regardless of your nationality, language, or flight origin—is a failure of common sense, not a protected cultural right.

Attempting to weaponize accusations of prejudice to shield poor personal safety choices overlooks the entire operational reason safety briefings exist.

Pilots and cabin crew issue the "keep your seatbelt fastened at all times while seated" advisory on every commercial flight globally precisely because severe turbulence occurs without radar warning.

Pointing out that injuries in a specific incident were directly caused by passengers failing to follow standard safety advice is a simple statement of cause and effect based on air accident investigation norms.

Calling basic, objective safety critique "disparaging" or "racist" only proves an inability to engage with actual aviation facts.

The incident occurred 90 min out of Phuket? So Phuket Airport (hospitals) would have been much closer than Delhi.

With so many injured on board I just wonder why the plane didn't turn round.

2 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

you to disparage them for not contravening any regulations and, along with several other posters' comments on this thread, smacks strongly of unjustified racism.

Accusing someone of racism because they pointed out basic passenger negligence is a lazy attempt to derail a clear discussion on aviation safety

No, it was not an attempt to derail thread, it was an observation on unnecessary comments made by you and others. Your comment was a lazy accusation of negligence on the part of the passengers, negligence that didn't happen. It would have been negligent of them had there been rules demanding that seat belts were worn at all times.

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

How were the passengers involved in this incident not complying with safety protocols?

You wish a speedy recovery for the cabin crew but not for the Indian passengers? Interesting.

If the passengers were complying with safety protocols, presumably they would not have been injured?

26 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No, it was not an attempt to derail thread, it was an observation on unnecessary comments made by you and others. Your comment was a lazy accusation of negligence on the part of the passengers, negligence that didn't happen. It would have been negligent of them had there been rules demanding that seat belts were worn at all times.

Redefining "negligence" strictly through the lens of written regulatory minimums demonstrates a profound ignorance of basic aviation safety protocols. In air accident investigation and flight operations, negligence is not defined solely by whether a passenger broke a law; it is defined by failing to exercise standard, reasonable care for one’s own safety after being explicitly warned of a known physical hazard.

When flight crew advises keeping seatbelts fastened while seated, ignoring that professional warning is the textbook definition of personal negligence.

Hiding behind the legalistic excuse that there was no "mandatory rule" in effect is a completely absurd defense against the laws of physics. Cabin crew and pilots do not repeat the recommendation to stay buckled on every single flight as a light suggestion; they do so because clear-air turbulence can exert vertical forces exceeding -1.0g to +2.5g in a fraction of a second, turning any unbuckled passenger into a human projectile against the overhead lockers.

Claiming that passengers who were thrown to the ceiling and injured were "not negligent" simply because a light was off is like claiming a pedestrian isn't negligent for stepping into oncoming traffic without looking just because there was no "walk/don't walk" sign telling them to stop.

3 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"The reported injuries in this case involved people who were not wearing seatbelts when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude."

In most major aviation jurisdictions (including the US under FAA rules, Europe under EASA, and many others following ICAO standards), the pilot-in-command must ensure that passengers are notified to fasten their seat belts before the aircraft moves on the surface, before takeoff, and before landing.

On every flight, the pilot always says before take off....please ensure your seat belt is fastened....also we recommend that you keep your seat belt fastened at all times while seated, even when the seat belt sign is switched off, unless going to the bathroom.

Maybe Indians are hard of hearing??

No , I don't think it's that , I reckon it's because their brains are swimming in curry.

3 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

While this has happened on other airlines, like the really bad incident on Singapore Airlines from turbulence, the fact it was Air India is just one-too-many negative stories involving them. I avoid that airline completely.

When I worked for Qantas as an engineer in Sydney in the 1970’s we handled Air India’s Boeing 707’s

One of their aircraft had a gash in the tyre through to the canvas, I wrote a snag report

“Worn beyond limits to be changed”

The Captain came down overruled my report and said “ We fix in Bombay”

I would say the responsibility lies primarily with the flight crew. These days, aircraft detection systems can pinpoint where turbulence is located. At the very least, they could have warned the passengers of the imminent danger. But yes, Air India.

1 minute ago, vangrop said:

I would say the responsibility lies primarily with the flight crew. These days, aircraft detection systems can pinpoint where turbulence is located.

It depends. The Singapore Airlines flight encountered something they call 'clear air turbulence' which means they don't see it coming until they feel it. Apparently it's happening more often too. Not sure about this flight though.

10 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Were the Indian passengers on this flight not complying with rules or not taking mandatory precautions? I did not see where that was reported.

Turbulence usually doesn't come without warning. Chances are there was an announcement at the first sign, which was ignored. Heeding warnings isn't mandatory, nor is safety guaranteed if they are not.

Edited August 5Aug 5 by Jonathan Swift

5 hours ago, vangrop said:

I would say the responsibility lies primarily with the flight crew. These days, aircraft detection systems can pinpoint where turbulence is located. At the very least, they could have warned the passengers of the imminent danger. But yes, Air India.

It does not have anything to do with the nationality of the airline. Not all turbulence can be seen by the detection systems. As ronnie50 mentioned there can be clear turbulence. This is sudden and unexpected. Of course we do not know what exactly happened in this particular case.

I was on an Air Asia flight from DMG to Penang. My family were at the rear of the cabin. Upon touchdown the Malay and Thais immediately undid their seat belts and rushed to the front of the cabin.

We sat in our seats while the mob crowded the aisle forward ( Airbus A320). They stood for at least 20 minutes. A stewardess came to us smiling and told us that we were lucky cos the forward cabin door had a problem so we were to deplane via the after door.

We were first off the plane and, satisfyingly, the mugs that had paid premium rates for rows 1-10 were last off.

Always keep your seat belt fastened.

On 8/5/2026 at 7:24 PM, ronnie50 said:

It depends. The Singapore Airlines flight encountered something they call 'clear air turbulence' which means they don't see it coming until they feel it. Apparently it's happening more often too. Not sure about this flight though.

i know ,It's gotta be caused by climate change.... he gets blamed for everything else.

13 hours ago, Red Forever said:

We were first off the plane and, satisfyingly, the mugs that had paid premium rates for rows 1-10 were last off.

Always keep your seat belt fastened.

Well that is a bit of a one off and planes are boarded and deboarded usually from the front. And the peons get held back until the front end passengers are off already!

UPDATE

Air India captain tests positive after Phuket-Delhi injuries