An Air India aircraft flying into Kathmandu almost survived a collision with a Nepal Airlines flight on Sunday by ascending sharply.

Air India and Nepal Airlines flights almost collided

According to the reports, the air proximity occurred when Al Airbus-319 (VT-SCG) from Delhi was at flight level 19,000 feet and descended to 15,000 feet on the air traffic control (ATC) clearance. Whilst, a Nepal Airlines plane RNA-416 from Kuala Lumpur was also descending to land at the same flight level.

Both planes were carrying almost 200 passengers on board and then one ascend and the other descended to avoid a possible collision.

After this ‘carelessness’ of the ATCOs, three air traffic controllers at Kathmandu Airport have been suspended. The Air India pilots operating this flight, AI 213, have been off-rostered (taken off flying duty) pending investigation.

Air India ascends sharply to avoid collision

Speaking to the media, a passenger said, “Air India crew saw the light coming from the other direction and immediately informed Kathmandu air traffic control. The ATC asked the Air India crew to ascend sharply to avoid a collision, which they did and a tragedy was averted.”

While AI ascended, the Nepal Airlines is learnt to have descended to 7,000 feet to avoid a collision.

Taking to Twitter, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal wrote, “Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) of Tribhuvan International Airport involved in traffic conflict incident (between Air India and Nepal Airlines on 24th March 2023) have been removed from active control position until further notice.”

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Air India has informed Indian authorities that they were asked to descend to 15,000 feet by ATC.

Moreover, Nepal authorities are investigating this air prox. and the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought information from them which is awaited.

Nepal aviation authorities will examine if the two aircraft were at assigned flight levels or did one of them wrongly ascended to 15,000 feet as only one of them was supposed to be there at a time in order to keep a safety record.