5 Air India pilots test positive for coronavirus

The five pilots fly Boeing 787 planes and had operated cargo flights to China prior to 20 April.

Representational image | Commons

Mumbai: Five pilots of Air India have tested positive for coronavirus, airline sources said on Sunday.

Air India, which is operating flights to evacuate Indians stranded in foreign countries, have asked its pilots to undertake coronavirus test before they operate such flights, the sources said.

“Five Air India pilots have tested positive for coronavirus. These pilots were tested one after one. We suspect it could be a case of faulty testing kit as well,” one of the sources told PTI.

The five pilots fly Boeing 787 planes, the second source said.

Air India spokesperson did not offer any comment.

A senior airline official said the five pilots had not operated any flight in the last three weeks.

“These pilots had operated cargo flights to China prior to April 20,” the official said.