Two commercial aircraft, one belonging to IndiGo and the other to Air India, narrowly escaped a potentially catastrophic collision on the runway at Mumbai Airport.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked an investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to uncover the circumstances surrounding the close call.

Reports indicate that an IndiGo flight arriving from Indore was mistakenly cleared to land on the same runway where an Air India aircraft was in the process of taking off for Thiruvananthapuram. The situation escalated as the Air India flight was still accelerating down the runway for takeoff while the IndiGo aircraft began its descent for landing. Miraculously, the Air India flight managed to lift off just in time, narrowly avoiding a collision with the incoming IndiGo plane.

In response to the incident, the DGCA swiftly took action by removing the Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff member who cleared the IndiGo flight to land on the occupied runway, pending the outcome of the investigation. Both airlines have also issued statements regarding the incident, with Air India asserting that their aircraft was cleared for takeoff by ATC.

The viral video footage of the incident, widely circulated on social media, depicts the tense moment when both planes are seen occupying the same runway. As the Air India aircraft initiates its takeoff roll, the IndiGo plane can be observed descending for landing, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Commenting on the incident, Alok Yadav, General Secretary of the ATC Guild India, emphasized the complexities of managing high-intensity airports like Mumbai and Delhi, where numerous flights operate hourly. He noted that air traffic controllers (ATCOs) play a crucial role in ensuring the safe arrival and departure of planes and passengers. Yadav also suggested that the visibility at the time of the incident appeared to be adequate, indicating the need for a thorough investigation into the matter.