The air traffic controller responsible for the tower at Mumbai Airport was suspended after two aircraft came too close on the same runway. The case, which gained traction on social media, will be investigated.
The case is under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India, the DGCA, which reported that the controller was suspended from his duties after an IndiGo Airbus A320neo landed at the same time that an Air India A320neo took off on the same runway, with a horizontal separation that reached only 520 meters.
The proximity of the aircraft was recorded on video, which went viral on social media on Saturday, hours after the aircraft came close to a collision.
The DGCA also reported that it classified the case as an incident and that, indeed, the IndiGo plane had been cleared to land. However, all those involved in the case will be investigated to determine the root cause.
Air India, in an official statement, also confirmed that its A320neo had been cleared for takeoff. Thus far, it has been confirmed that both crews were following the clearances given by air traffic control.
