GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 10th June. Alarming reports emerged from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport as two aircraft narrowly avoided a collision on the runway yesterday, with only 509 meters separating them. The incident occurred when an IndiGo flight from Indore touched down on the same runway just moments after an Air India jet had taken off for Thiruvananthapuram.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) swiftly launched an investigation into the matter, promptly de-rostering the air traffic controller involved in the incident. According to DGCA guidelines, landing clearance can only be issued when there is a reasonable assurance that the landing aircraft will not cross the threshold until the preceding departing aircraft has crossed the end of the runway – a protocol that appears to have been breached in this instance.
The Air Traffic Controllers’ Guild released a statement asserting, “In this particular case that happened on Saturday at the Mumbai airport, the visibility was good and there was no air proximity situation in respect to the landing of the IndiGo flight and the taking off of the Air India flight.” However, data from Flightradar contradicts this claim, with video footage circulating on social media showing the Air India jet taking off as the IndiGo plane lands on the same runway, sparking serious safety concerns.
Both IndiGo and Air India issued statements affirming that their pilots adhered to ATC instructions. “On June 8, 2024, IndiGo flight 6E 6053 from Indore was given landing clearance by ATC at Mumbai Airport. The Pilot in Command continued the approach and landing, following ATC instructions. At IndiGo, passenger safety is paramount, and we have reported the incident as per procedure,” stated IndiGo. Similarly, Air India noted, “AI657 from Mumbai to Trivandrum was on take-off roll on June 8. The Air India aircraft was cleared by Air Traffic Control to enter the runway and subsequently cleared for take-off. The Air India aircraft continued with the take-off movement in accordance with laid down procedures.”
Despite these assurances, the incident has underscored the intense pressure faced by air traffic controllers at high-density airports like Mumbai. With over 850 flights per day, the airport’s single-runway operation handles around 46 arrivals and departures per hour on runway 27 alone. The ongoing DGCA probe seeks to ascertain whether all norms were followed by the ATC and the pilots involved, while the Guild has highlighted the high stress levels endured by ATCs during peak traffic hours.
Mumbai airport had previously announced plans to accommodate 8 per cent more air traffic during the summer schedule, aiming to increase operations to 951 flights per day.
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