7 including crew fall sick on Air India flight, food poisoning, cabin pressure suspected

Seven individuals, including five passengers and two crew members, reported feeling dizzy and nauseous during different phases of Air India flight AI-130 from London to Mumbai on Monday. Despite the mid-air health scare, the Boeing 777 aircraft successfully continued its journey and landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, where medical teams were already on standby.

Upon arrival, two passengers and two cabin crew members who continued to feel unwell were promptly taken to the airport's medical room for examination. All affected individuals were later discharged after receiving medical attention. An Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating that the airline is investigating the cause and has duly notified the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

While an official cause has not yet been confirmed, initial media reports point to two primary possibilities: food poisoning or a gradual decrease in cabin pressure leading to insufficient oxygen. However, some sources close to the airline have suggested that a drop in cabin pressurization is less likely, as oxygen masks, which would typically deploy in such a scenario, did not activate during the flight. This has led to a stronger suspicion of food poisoning as the potential cause.

Conversely, some officials highlighted that the pilots, who typically consume the same in-flight meals as passengers, did not report any uneasiness, making the food poisoning theory somewhat inconclusive. Air India has launched an internal probe, reviewing catering protocols and aircraft environmental control systems to ascertain the exact reason behind the health scare. This incident adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Air India's operations, particularly after a recent fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad.