A potential disaster was narrowly avoided on Friday when an Air India and a Nepal Airlines aircraft nearly collided mid-air, but the warning systems alerted the pilots who took timely action to prevent the catastrophe, authorities announced on Sunday.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has suspended three employees of the air traffic controller department for their “carelessness,” according to CAAN spokesperson Jagannath Niroula.
On Friday morning, a Nepal Airlines Airbus A-320 aircraft from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and an Air India plane from New Delhi were on a collision course as they approached Kathmandu.
The Air India aircraft was descending from 19,000 ft while the Nepal Airlines aircraft was flying at an altitude of 15,000 ft in the same area, Niroula explained.
Upon realizing that the two aircraft were too close, the Nepal Airlines aircraft descended to 7,000 ft, the spokesperson added.
The Civil Aviation Authority has established a three-member probe committee to investigate the incident.
The CAAN has suspended the three officers who were in charge of the control room at the time of the incident.
There was no immediate comment from Air India.
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