NEW DELHI (Bernama): India's aviation regulator ordered an investigation after a runway scare in which a landing and takeoff took place within seconds of each other.
A video purportedly of the incident widely shared on social media shows an IndiGo airline plane touching down at Mumbai airport, one of the busiest in the country, while an Air India aircraft was taking off from the same runway on Saturday.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has removed the air traffic controller who was at work at that time from duty and launched a probe into the incident, according to a statement quoted in Indian media reports on Sunday.
IndiGo and Air India also responded to the incident in the media.
"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 laid down procedures," Air India said.
IndiGo said its flight 6E 6053 from Indore landed as per the air traffic control clearance.
"The pilot in command continued the approach and landing and followed ATC instructions," IndiGo said.
The Mumbai airport runway handles 46 arrivals and departures per hour, according to a PTI news agency report. - Bernama
