Pilot yanked for smoking pot before flight

MOSCOW, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A Russian pilot was prevented from flying passengers from Magadan to Moscow after tests revealed he had smoked marijuana, an aviation official revealed.

Regional aviation watchdog Alexander Bulgakov said Tuesday a pre-flight medical check indicated both the Yakutia pilot and a flight attendant were under the influence of marijuana, the Russia news agency RIA Novosti reported.

"Tests revealed that they had smoked marijuana," Bulgakov said.

A spokesperson for the regional air carrier declined to comment on the incident.

There was no word on when the flight had been scheduled to take off.