Air India pilot detained in Vancouver over suspected alcohol use; Delhi flight delayed
New Delhi: An Air India pilot was detained by Canadian authorities at Vancouver International Airport after concerns were raised about his fitness to operate a flight due to a suspected smell of alcohol, leading to a delay of a Delhi-bound flight last week.
The incident occurred on December 23, just ahead of Christmas, when the pilot was scheduled to operate Flight AI186 from Vancouver to Delhi. According to reports, a staff member at the airport’s duty-free store alerted authorities after either seeing the pilot consume alcohol or noticing the smell while he was purchasing it, NDTV reported.
The authorities subjected the pilot to a breath analyser test, which he failed, and he was subsequently detained, the reports said.
In a statement, Air India said the delay was caused after authorities raised concerns regarding the pilot’s fitness for duty.
“Flight AI186 from Vancouver to Delhi on December 23 experienced a last-minute delay after one of the cockpit crew members was offloaded prior to departure. Canadian authorities raised concerns regarding the pilot's fitness for duty, following which the crew member was taken for further inquiry,” the airline said.
"Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers and is fully cooperating with the local authorities. The pilot has been taken off flying duties during the process of the enquiry. The airline maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards violations of applicable rules and regulations. Pending the outcome of the investigation, any confirmed violation will attract strict disciplinary action in line with company policy." he statement said, adding that passenger safety remains its highest priority.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show-cause notice to an Air India cockpit crew for operating multiple flights between Delhi and Tokyo despite being aware of serious compliance lapses. The pilots have been asked to submit their explanation within two weeks.
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Delhi Police recovers 711 stolen, lost mobile sets worth Rs 1 cr
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has recovered 711 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 1 crore from the Shahdara area and handed over 86 sets to their rightful owners, an official said on Thursday.
The recovery was made under the nationwide drive, 'Operation Vishwas', launched in May last year, to trace and recover stolen, snatched, robbed and lost mobile phones, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said.
The officer said that based on technical analysis, 13 teams from various police stations and district units were formed to recover the devices.
He said several people voluntarily returned mobile phones after being contacted, while in other cases, teams had to conduct focused field action to retrieve the devices.
According to the police data, Shahdara district had recovered 205 mobile phones in 2023, 555 in 2024 and 711 in 2025, taking the cumulative total to 1,471 devices over three years.
