Two India-bound flights averted major collision in Dubai: Report

The Air Accident Investigation Sector, UAE’s aviation investigations body has launched an investigation into the near-collision situation that took place 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. 

News agency ANI reported that hundreds of lives were saved after the take-off was immediately rejected.

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“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 to take-off from same runway 30R,” a person aware of the incident told ANI.

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According to 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. 

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An internal probe has also been initiated.

Sourcing insiders, ANI reported that it was a near-disaster incident. Apparently, the Hyderabad-bound flight was on the runway without getting clearance to take off, Aviation Herald reported.

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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.

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The pilots were successful in slowing down the plane from its high speed.