Two Pakistan International Airlines aircraft traveling in the same direction in Iranian airspace narrowly escaped a mid-air collision according to media reports.
Both Pakistani flag carriers were flying at the same altitude close to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) border when they witnessed an extraordinary situation that may have resulted in a serious air accident due to the alleged negligence of the Iranian air traffic control (ATC), according to reports. The ATC authorized two airplanes to fly at the same altitude.
A PIA Boeing 777 was traveling from Islamabad to Dubai, according to the publication’s sources, while an Airbus A320 was flying from Doha to Peshawar, piloted by Captains Athar Haroon and Samiullah. The two planes flew dangerously near to one another and, according to the standard method employed in such cases, one was ordered to drop while the other was urged to fly to a higher height.
The Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which automatically pilots the aircraft by connecting with the TCAS of other nearby aircraft, is a feature that all aircraft are equipped with, according to the news source. The publication cited a PIA representative as saying that PIA is writing to the Iranian air traffic control (ATC) to investigate as the Iranian ATC commanded the jet, but it was incorrect.
According to the statement, PIA flight PK-268, an Airbus A320 from Doha with a destination of Peshawar, was being closely approached by PIA aircraft PK-211, a Boeing 777 from Islamabad to Dubai, which was maintaining a 35,000-foot altitude at the time. When the PK-268 flight was given clearance to descend to 20,000 feet, he pointed out that the fall would have intersected the path of PIA flight PK-211, a Boeing 777, which was flying at 36,000 feet. The aircraft’s TCAS, according to the spokeswoman, automatically directed both aircraft while concurrently adjusting their paths.
Another frightening occurrence of the same size had been reported over Bengaluru’s skies in January 2022, similar to an aviation mishap reported from Dubai in which two Emirates jets headed to India collided head-on. Two domestic Indigo flights came dangerously close to colliding in midair, prompting the aviation inspector Director General of Civil Aviation to launch an inquiry.
An investigation team led by DGCA Director General Arun Kumar was formed after the event involving a significant safety breach was reported to India’s aviation authority. Regarding the incident, Indigo Airlines declined to comment. Because two planes cannot operate on the same air path, officials claim that the close call between two Indigo flights—one from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata and the other from Bangalore—demonstrates incompetence and improper communication between radar operators and ATC officials.
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