Major Collision Between Two India-bound Flights Averted in Dubai, Probe Ordered: Reports

Jan. 14—UAE's aviation investigations body The Air Accident Investigation Sector has launched a probe into the near-collision situation that was created at Dubai Airport on January 9 as two India-bound flights were scheduled for take-off on one runway, in a gap of five minutes. Hundreds of lives were saved after the take-off was immediately rejected, news agency ANI reported.

"EK-524 from Dubai- Hyderabad was accelerating for take-off from runway 30R, when the crew saw an aircraft coming in the same direction at high speed. Take-off was immediately instructed by ATC to be rejected. The aircraft slowed down safely and cleared the runway via taxiway N4, which crossed the runway. Another emirates flight EK-568, from Dubai to Bangalore, was rolling for departure was to take-off from same runway 30R," a person aware of the incident told ANI.

The Bengaluru-bound flight took off and the Hyderabad-bound flight went back to the taxi bay to wait. Confirming that such a safety breach took place on January 9, Emirates AIR said there was no aircraft damage. "On 9 January, flight EK524 was instructed by air traffic control to reject take-off on departure from Dubai and this was completed successfully," the airline said. An internal probe has also been initiated.

According to insiders, it was a near-disaster incident. Apparently, the Hyderabad-bound flight was on the runway without getting clearance to take off, Aviation Herald reported. The air traffic control had cleared the Bengaluru-bound flight for take-off. The Hyderabad-bound flight was ordered to abort the take-off. At that time, the plane had travelled 2,600 feet down the runway and reached the speed of 130 knots. The pilots were successful to slow down the plane from its high speed.

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