Air India Mumbai–Patna Flight Returns After Mid-Air Technical Glitch, 155 Passengers Onboard Safe

New Delhi: An Air India flight bound for Patna was forced to return to Mumbai on Tuesday after the cockpit received an alert indicating a sudden drop in oxygen pressure mid-air. The aircraft, operating as AI 2789, had departed from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport when the technical issue was detected.

According to the preliminary internal report, the cockpit received an ACARS message from the captain stating: “O2 PRESS NOW 400 – DIVERTING BACK TO VABB”.

The alert signalled a possible malfunction in the aircraft’s oxygen system. This indicated that the oxygen system for the pilots had dropped to 400 psi — which is a critical safety component for both pilots and passengers, particularly at higher cruising altitudes.

Why this mattered: Aircraft must always carry enough oxygen for the pilots, especially when flying at high altitudes. A drop to 400 psi means something was likely wrong in the system. 

It could have been caused by:

• A leak in the oxygen bottle
• A problem with the regulator or valve
• Leakage in the pipes carrying oxygen
• A faulty pressure indicator

Following standard operating procedures, the captain initiated an immediate turn-back to Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The aircraft landed safely at 12:30 pm IST, with no injuries reported. All 155 passengers on board — including 8 in Business Class, 22 in Premium Economy, and 125 in Economy — were safe.

Air India’s engineering teams began inspecting the aircraft soon after it arrived. The exact cause of the oxygen pressure drop is still being investigated. Passengers were accommodated as per protocol, and alternate travel arrangements to Patna were made.

Further updates are awaited pending completion of the engineering investigation and the final incident report. 

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