A potential disaster was averted at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport when two flights dangerously converged on the same runway. A widely-shared video captures the heart-stopping moment one aircraft is seen landing on the runway just as another begins its takeoff.
This incident unfolded in the early morning hours of a Saturday on runway 27 of the Mumbai Airport. It involved an IndiGo aircraft, inbound from Indore’s Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, descending onto the runway as an Air India flight ascended to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
The simultaneity of the two aircraft’s landing and takeoff operations sparked immediate chaos on the ground, elevating the risk of a significant accident.
In response to this breach of safety protocols, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken swift measures by sidelining the involved Air Traffic Control (ATC) officers and staff due to their oversight. An investigation has been launched to examine the circumstances leading to this close call thoroughly.
Social media has been abuzz with footage showing both aeroplanes occupying the runway simultaneously, with the Air India flight managing to lift off as the IndiGo plane lands.
“Given the high volume of traffic at Mumbai and Delhi airports, which manage around 46 flights per hour, ATCOs play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and efficient handling of aircraft movements. In the discussed video, where visibility was reportedly clear, it’s possible to reduce the distance between operating flights if visual assessment confirms it’s safe. During this particular incident, it seemed that the aircraft preparing to depart had already achieved B2 speed and initiated lift-off, while the incoming flight was in the process of landing on Runway 27. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain more details,” the ATC Guild India’s General Secretary, Alok Yadav, was quoted by the news outlet ANI.
IndiGo, on the other hand, has assured that the pilot of their Indore-Mumbai flight complied with all of ATC’s directives. “On June 8, 2024, the IndiGo flight from Indore received clearance for landing from the Mumbai Airport ATC. The Pilot in Command executed the landing in accordance with the ATC’s guidance. At IndiGo, the safety of our passengers is our utmost concern, and we have duly reported this incident following standard procedures,” the airline stated.