Two flights with 350 people prevented from colliding

KOLKATA: Two commercial flights with 350 passengers were prevented from colliding mid-air over Kolkata, last week. Officials said an IndiGO flight that had taken off for Bagdogra from the city and an AirAsia flight that was heading to the city from Bagdogra were involved in the episode. The IndiGo was asked to hold at 29,000 ft, while the AirAsia was asked to descend to the same level. The planes were around 200 ft away from each other when the traffic collision avoidance system got triggered, preventing any accident. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident, and two ATC officers, a radar controller and a procedure controller have been put off duty till the investigation is over. Both airlines have confirmed the incident. AirAsia said in a statement, “An inquiry has been ordered into the incident and we are cooperating fully with the DGCA and ministry of civil aviation.”