Two more Air India pilots have tested “non-negative” in preliminary drug screening, widening scrutiny of the airline’s cockpit crew after the Phuket-Delhi flight incident in which its pilot-in-command tested positive for drugs.The two pilots have been de-rostered, while their samples have been sent for confirmatory testing. The final results are expected within 24 to 48 hours, sources said.The development comes as Air India and Air India Express continue a group-wide screening programme launched on August 13, under which all pilots are being tested for psychoactive substances and medications prohibited under prevailing regulations.So far, around 350 to 400 pilots of the Air India Group have undergone the screening, sources said. The two non-negative results emerged from the preliminary tests conducted as part of the expanded exercise.The Tata-owned airline and Air India Express together have around 5,000 pilots. The samples are being collected at the group’s Gurugram academy, flight briefing centres, Air India offices and other locations designated by individual bases.The airline had announced the expanded screening after the August 4 incident involving Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320neo operating from Phuket to Delhi. The aircraft suffered a sudden altitude variation of around 300 feet during cruise, leaving 20 passengers and four crew members injured.The incident, classified as serious, is being investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).The pilot-in-command of AI2379 subsequently tested positive for drugs in both an initial screening and a confirmatory test. He has reportedly told the authorities that he had been facing sleep-related problems and was taking prescribed medication.Air India had said its decision to test every pilot went beyond the routine regulatory requirements prescribed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).Under the existing system, airlines conduct random testing of a specified proportion of personnel working in safety-sensitive aviation roles. The expanded Air India programme, however, seeks to screen the entire pilot workforce.In an internal communication to pilots, the airline said it complied with the DGCA requirements but had decided to conduct a comprehensive screening of its pilots for substances and medications not permitted under the applicable rules.The latest two non-negative results do not mean that the pilots have tested positive for prohibited substances. A preliminary non-negative result requires confirmatory laboratory testing before any final conclusion can be drawn.The two pilots will therefore remain off the roster pending the outcome of the confirmatory tests.The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of pilot fitness and the safeguards governing psychoactive-substance testing following the AI2379 incident. The AAIB is examining the August 4 occurrence, while the DGCA is also reviewing the existing testing framework.With only around 350 to 400 pilots screened so far out of an estimated 5,000 across the two airlines, the latest results are likely to put the expanded testing programme under further scrutiny.