An IndiGo aircraft landed on the same runway where an Air India jet was departing in less than a minute on Saturday at Mumbai airport risking the lives of hundreds of passengers in vehicles. The Directorate of Civil Aviation initiated an immediate investigation and removed an Air Traffic Control official from duty.
A purported video of one plane landing and another taking off from the same runway has been shared on social media.
The IndiGo plane was flying from Indore to Mumbai, and the Air India plane took off for Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
A DGCA official told PTI, "We are conducting a probe and have already de-rostered the ATCO involved in the incident."
Reportedly, Mumbai airport is a single-runway operation with two crossing runways.
On a single runway RW27 at the Mumbai airport, there are around 46 arrivals and departures per hour.
What Did Air India Say?
Air India also claimed that the ATC had cleared its plane for take-off.
"AI657 from Mumbai to Trivandrum was on take-off roll on June 8. The Air India aircraft was cleared by Air Traffic Control to enter the runway and subsequently cleared for take-off. The Air India aircraft continued with the take-off movement in accordance with laid down procedures. An investigation has been initiated by the authorities to find out more on the clearance given to the airlines," its statement said.
What Did Indigo Say?
IndiGo said its aircraft continued the approach and landing as per the ATC instructions.
It stated, "On Jun 8, 2024 IndiGo flight 6E 6053 from Indore was given landing clearance by ATC at Mumbai Airport. The Pilot in Command continued the approach and landing and followed ATC instructions. At IndiGo, passenger safety is paramount to us, and we have reported the incident as per procedure," it has said.
