SpiceJet Mumbai-Durgapur flight: Two passengers in ICU, DGCA grounds aircraft in Kolkata

Two SpiceJet passengers in ICU after severe turbulence in flight during its descent phase, aircraft grounded in Kolkata, as reported by PTI.

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The Mumbai-Durgapur flight encountered severe turbulence during its descent phase, injuring 14 passengers and three cabin crew members on May 1 the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement. Two of the injured passengers -- one with head injury and another with spinal injury -- are in ICU right now, it mentioned.

India's aviation regulator DGCA on May 2 announced that it is carrying out an inspection of the entire SpiceJet aircraft fleet after its Mumbai-Durgapur plane ran into a severe turbulence leading to injuries to 17 people. 

The DGCA also took off the roster the flight's crew, aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) and in-charge of SpiceJet's maintenance control centre, pending a probe. "The DGCA has off-rostered the involved crew, the AME, and in-charge of the Maintenance Control Centre of SpiceJet pending investigation," it said. 

At present, the aircraft that was involved in the incident on May 1 is grounded in Kolkata, the DGCA said. The rest of the SpiceJet aircraft fleet are in operation. SpiceJet has 91 aircraft in its fleet, according to its website. "The involved aircraft is at present grounded in Kolkata. As a regulatory measure, DGCA is carrying out inspection of SpiceJet aircraft across the fleet," it added. 

(With inputs from PTI)