New Delhi : A serious mid-air incident, a pilot’s “failed” dope test and a regulatory probe have greeted Tewolde Gebremariam within days of taking charge as Air India’s new CEO, making for a particularly bumpy start at the airline. Gebremariam, who transformed Ethiopian Airlines into one of Africa’s largest and most profitable carriers, now faces perhaps his toughest assignment yet.
The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants and eight crew members. Several people on board were injured. A total of 13 passengers and four cabin crew members were taken to hospital, with the four injured crew members suffering spinal and neck injuries. The incident has taken on an additional dimension after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that both pilots underwent prescribed psychoactive substance screening following the occurrence.
According to the regulator and the Civil Aviation Ministry, the screening test of the pilot-in-command indicated a result that required further confirmatory testing. Samples have been sent to a designated laboratory and the final report is awaited. Air India told India Today TV that post-flight screening tests had been conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols, but said the airline had not been given the results. “We are aware that a post-flight screening test was conducted on the pilots in accordance with applicable protocols.
The aircraft’s Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been secured for examination. The aircraft has also been moved to a hangar as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the sudden loss of altitude. Air India said the aircraft experienced a “momentary event” during cruise but continued to operate normally before landing safely in Delhi. The airline said it was cooperating with the investigation and had informed the aircraft manufacturer.
At the time of Wilson’s resignation as CEO in April, N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said the airline had completed its initial phase of stabilisation and was entering a “critical execution and expansion era”. Gebremariam has been tasked with leading that next phase as Air India continues to grapple with record financial losses, aircraft shortages, operational disruptions and the lingering fallout of last year’s fatal crash.