Near-collision of planes averted at Mumbai airport

MUMBAI - A near collision between two aircraft was averted Monday afternoon at the Mumbai airport as one plane was cleared for take-off when the other was landing on the same runway, officials said.

According to an official source, Mumbai-Bhavnagar Kingfisher ATR flight, with 30 passengers onboard, was cleared for take-off even as an incoming flight of GoAir was still on the runway.

The sources said that on realizing the situation, the Kingfisher aircraft, which was already on a takeoff roll was ordered to abort takeoff.

At the same time, the incoming GoAir aircraft - details of which were not immediately available - was ordered to clear off the runway quickly as the other aircraft was on the same runway.

A spokesperson for Kingfisher, while declining to provide details of the incident, said that its aircraft was checked by an engineering team and finally allowed to take off at 2.50 p.m.