Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow returns after pilot found to be Covid-19 positive

• An Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow returned back after the pilot was found to be Covid-19 positive.
• The plane was half way over Central Asia when it was recalled.
• The airline's medical staff misread the pilot's Covid-19 test report.

A special ferry flight of national carrier Air India which took-off from Delhi for Moscow on Saturday returned back after a crew member was found Covid-19 positive.

The flight being operated under the Vande Bharat mission was half way over Central Asia, when it was called back.

"When the A320 plane, which did not have any passengers as it was heading to Moscow to bring back stranded Indians under Vande Bharat Mission, had reached Uzbekistan's airspace, our team on ground realised that one of the pilots had tested COVID-positive," senior Air India officials said.

According to sources, the airline's medical staff which is overseeing the massive testing campaign of its crew, mistook the pilot's test report as 'Negative' while he had tested 'Positive' for Covid-19.

Subsequently, the aircraft was informed and the SoPs meant for such situations were immediately implemented.

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