Mid- air collision averted, probe on

Mumbai: A mid- air disaster was averted on February 7 in the Mumbai air space when a Vistara aircraft came perilously close to an Air India plane, prompting the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau ( AAIB) to launch a probe.

Mumbai, Feb. 11: A midair disaster was averted in the Mumbai air space when a Vistara aircraft came perilously close to an Air India plane, prompting the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau ( AAIB) to launch a probe.

On February 7, the Vistaras UK 997 Punebound aircraft from Delhi, carrying 152 passengers, was just 100 feet away from the Air Indias AI 631 flight for Bhopal which had 109 passengers on board.

The AI flight captain has written in her resolution advisory report that the aircraft was just 100 feet away when it was taken to a safer distance.

The collision was averted after an automatic warning alerted the pilots of the two planes of being in close proximity to each other, an official said.

The commander of the Air India flight acted swiftly on the instrument warning and steered the aircraft to a safer distance, a senior official of the airline said.

The two pilots of the Vistara flight have been grounded, pending investigation, while the Air India pilots have been cleared for flying by the AAIB for not being at fault, the official added.

Vistara confirmed the incident and said both its pilots have been taken off flying duty, pending investigation.

“The Air India aircraft was going as per the ATC instructions,” the Air India official said.