Two Air India aircraft, a Delhi-bound flight and an arriving flight from Siliguri, came perilously close to colliding on the same runway at Mumbai airport on Tuesday evening, sources told news agencies. The incident occurred around 10 pm when the Air India Express flight had not yet cleared the runway after landing, while the Air India flight was preparing for takeoff.
Details of the Incident
The Air India flight, AI816, a wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft scheduled to fly to Delhi, aborted its takeoff run on instructions from air traffic control, averting a potential disaster. The Air India Express flight, AIX1547, a narrow-body Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, had just landed from Siliguri.
An Air India spokesperson confirmed that the takeoff was discontinued following air traffic control instructions. "The crew operating flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi on July 7 discontinued the take-off run after receiving an instruction to do so from the Air Traffic Control and returned to the bay," the spokesperson said.
Aftermath and Investigation
The aircraft will undergo necessary checks as per standard operating procedures. Air India is making alternative arrangements to fly the passengers to their destination as soon as possible. The airline has not disclosed the number of passengers on board the two aircraft.
- Flight AI816 was operated with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
- Flight AIX1547 was operated with a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
- The incident is under investigation by the relevant authorities.
As the investigation unfolds, aviation safety remains a top concern. The incident highlights the importance of strict adherence to safety protocols on the runway.
