A drug screening of the pilot-in-command of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that suddenly lost around 300 ft in altitude during cruise on August 4 has returned a result requiring confirmatory testing, with the sample sent to a designated laboratory even as the DGCA has taken both pilots off the roster pending the outcome.The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Jattvibeday that the screening was conducted as part of the prescribed procedure after the incident involving Air India’s A320 aircraft VT-EXO, operating flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi.The aircraft, carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, and eight crew members — two pilots and six cabin crew — subsequently stabilised and landed safely in Delhi.The development comes amid reports that the pilot had failed a post-flight drug test. However, the ministry said the initial screening of the pilot-in-command had produced a result requiring confirmatory testing and that the final report was awaited.Air India, too, said it had not received the test results and was therefore not in a position to comment on any findings.“We are aware that a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols. However, the results of the test have not been shared with Air India, and we are therefore not in a position to comment on any findings,” an airline spokesperson said.The ministry said samples had been sent to the designated laboratory for confirmatory analysis.Pending completion of the prescribed process, both flight crew members have been taken off the roster by the DGCA, while further action will depend on the outcome of the investigation and the confirmatory test results.It has also been formally classified as a “serious incident” and is under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.The Federation of Indian Pilots said the final report should be awaited before drawing any conclusion. FIP president Captain CS Randhawa said if the pilot was eventually found to have tested positive, cancellation of his flying licence could be among the consequences, apart from penalties and other regulatory action.The Air India flight encountered a sudden loss of altitude at around 9.30 am on August 4 during cruise. The aircraft lost approximately 300 ft before stabilising and continuing its flight to Delhi.Several passengers and crew members were injured during the turbulence. A passenger later filed a complaint with the DGCA through the AirSewa portal, alleging that the sudden plunge threw passengers against the cabin ceiling.Visuals from the Delhi airport terminal showed ambulances and emergency responders attending to passengers, with several being assisted in wheelchairs and some seen with head bandages before being taken for medical evaluation.Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu had said on Saturday that around 24 passengers had experienced some form of medical discomfort and were taken to hospital for thorough medical checks.“Most of the passengers were discharged from the hospital in the first few hours only,” Naidu said.