Air India aircraft recalled after pilot found COVID19 positive

Indu Bhagat

New Delhi, May 30, 2020: After finding out Corona positive, a pilot of Air India’s Delhi-Moscow A-320 flight, was called back from midway on Saturday morning. The DGCA has ordered an inquiry into the matter. Air India officials said that this flight was going to bring Indians stranded in Russia under the Vande Bharat Mission.

There were no passengers in the aircraft. The flight reached Uzbekistan’s airspace when the members of our ground team realized that one pilot of the aircraft was Corona positive. The officer also said that the aircraft was asked to return immediately. The aircraft reached Delhi at around 12.30 pm on Saturday.  Crew members have been quarantined. Now another aircraft will be sent to Moscow. All crew reports are checked before the flight especially for Corona symptoms. One pilot’s report was positive but was read negative by mistake.

The ground team approved him to fly. Sources associated with Air India said that this was due to work pressure. More than 300 crew members are being investigated every day. Everyone’s report comes in an Excel sheet. A member of the ground team made a mistake while reading.