India probes flight plunge as pilot faces drug test scrutiny

Indian investigators are examining evidence linked to an Air India flight that plunged sharply mid-air last week, authorities said on Tuesday, as local media reported the pilot had tested positive for marijuana. The Airbus A320 carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members lost about 300 feet (91 metres) of altitude shortly after departing from Thailand’s Phuket for New Delhi on August 4, before landing safely in the Indian capital. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said 24 people were injured in the incident, a higher figure than the 17 previously reported by the airline. The AAIB said it was “presently engaged in the systematic collection, preservation and examination…