'We Thought We Would Die': Passenger Recalls Air India Turbulence Scare

An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi gave passengers a frightening few minutes on Tuesday after the aircraft hit sudden mid-air turbulence, injuring several people on board.Flight AI379 was carrying 134 passengers when it hit the rough patch mid-air. Twelve people, including two members of the cabin crew, ended up injured, and the plane itself came away with some damage.Air India confirmed the episode had occurred during the cruise phase of the flight, describing it as a brief turbulence event that caused a sudden, momentary dip in altitude.Once the aircraft touched down at IGI Airport, footage showed injured passengers being stretchered off and loaded into a waiting ambulance for hospital treatment.#WATCH | Delhi: Several passengers injured after Air India flight encounters severe air turbulence while travelling from Phuket to Delhi.Visuals from IGI Airport where an injured passenger is being moved into an ambulance to be taken to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/ybchsVDeoM - ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2026For those on board, the experience was far from a minor bump. Viviana, whose mother was hurt in the incident, described the chaos that unfolded to news agency ANI. "I am from Italy. The aircraft seemed to be moving normally, but suddenly the turbulence began. I saw my sister thrown up into the air from her seat," she said.She added, "My mother was knocked on her head. My phone fell away. People sitting behind me suffered injuries. A male passenger had blood on his face. We thought we would die. It was really scary. I was shaking and crying. It was horrible. I cannot hear well right now."#WATCH | Delhi: Viviana, daughter of the injured passenger being moved into an ambulance, says, "I am from Italy. The aircraft seemed to be moving normally but suddenly the turbulence began. I saw my sister thrown up into the air from her seat. My mother was knocked on her head.... https://t.co/ETIhAOVmIN pic.twitter.com/OlcFx2cII6 - ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2026Another traveller gave a similar account of how the flight suddenly veered off course. "It had been an hour and a half since the flight. It was early morning. We were sleeping on the flight. The flight suddenly stopped while moving and turned around; it kept moving like this for 2-3 minutes. 15-20 passengers got injured; there were more than 100 people on the flight, and 70 to 80 per cent of the people got injured. We will take 100 per cent action against Air India," he said.#WATCH | Delhi: A passenger says, "It had been an hour and a half since the flight. It was early morning. We were sleeping inside the flight. The flight suddenly stopped while moving and turned around...it kept moving like this for 2-3 minutes...15-20 passengers got injured...there... pic.twitter.com/S5SEDYUCqZ - ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2026Air India said there have been no serious injuries as of now. In a statement, the airline said a small group of passengers and crew members with minor injuries had been taken to an airport medical facility, where its ground staff and medical personnel conducted precautionary check-ups and provided care.