Delhi, August 4: An Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi reportedly dropped at least 300 feet in the air due to severe turbulence on Tuesday, wreaking panic for passengers.

At least 17 persons including 4 crew members sustained severe injuries and were hospitalized, said sources.

According to report, Air India Flight AI2379 encountered the accident mid air while it was heading for Delhi today.

The air-hit flight,however landed safely in Delhi following the incident where the injured ones were rushed to the hospital.

Five passengers have been discharged, while the remaining individuals continue to receive treatment and care, Air India said in a statement in the evening.

The DGCA is investigating the incident, with sources saying the regulator is also looking into whether a technical fault played as a trigger for the incident.

The Airline statement said AI2379, operating from Phuket to Delhi on August 4, experienced a "brief in-flight turbulence-related event during cruise", that dropped the flight with a momentary change in altitude.

"A small number of passengers and crew members with minor injuries requiring medical assessment have been taken to a medical facility at the airport for precautionary examination and care by Air India's airport team and medical personnel," an Air India spokesperson said.

However he said, “We are providing all necessary support to those affected and are cooperating fully with the DGCA”.

Data available on flight-tracking website Flightradar24 also showed that the Airbus A320 operating the flight experienced a brief loss in altitude.

Footage purportedly recorded inside the aircraft and circulating on social media showed visible damage to parts of the cabin ceiling following the incident.

Speaking to news agency ANI, a passenger on board said the aircraft experienced a sudden jolt about an hour and a half into the journey, when many passengers were asleep.

According to the passenger, the aircraft abruptly dropped and swayed violently for nearly two to three minutes, leaving several people injured.

The incident comes more than a year after a Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight encountered severe hailstorm-induced turbulence while approaching Srinagar, damaging the aircraft's nose cone.