New Delhi: A major aviation accident was narrowly avoided at Mumbai Airport late Tuesday night when an Air India aircraft and an Air India Express flight came face-to-face on the same runway.
The incident occurred at around 10:15 pm. An Air India Express flight arriving from Siliguri had landed but had not completely vacated the runway when an Air India Boeing aircraft bound for Delhi began accelerating on the same runway for take-off.
Sensing the danger, Air Traffic Control (ATC) immediately alerted the pilots and instructed the Air India flight to abort its take-off. The pilot applied emergency brakes in time, preventing what could have been a serious collision.
Confirming the incident, an Air India spokesperson said the Mumbai-Delhi flight was halted in compliance with ATC instructions and was subsequently taken back to the parking bay.
The airline has not yet disclosed the number of passengers on board either aircraft.
As per aviation safety procedures, the aircraft involved in the aborted take-off is undergoing a technical inspection following the sudden high-speed braking to ensure it is fit for operation.
Airport authorities arranged an alternative aircraft to minimise inconvenience for passengers, while aviation authorities have launched an investigation to determine how both aircraft came onto the same runway simultaneously.
