On June 8, 2023, a potentially dangerous situation unfolded at Mumbai Airport when an Air India flight took off just moments ahead of an IndiGo plane landing on the same runway. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff involved in the incident have been removed from duty while an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the protocol breach.
The incident occurred early on Saturday morning when IndiGo flight 6053 from Indore landed on runway 27 while Air India flight 657 was still in the process of taking off for Thiruvananthapuram. A video of the incident, which has been widely shared on social media, shows the IndiGo plane touching down just as the Air India plane is lifting off.
The DGCA has confirmed that an investigation has been launched to understand what led to the incident and to implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The investigation will focus on the actions of the ATC staff and the pilots of both aircraft.
The incident highlights the risks associated with operating at congested airports like Mumbai, which handles over 1,000 flights daily. It also underscores the importance of maintaining strict safety protocols and procedures to ensure the safe operation of aircraft and the safety of passengers. The DGCA has stated that it will take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.
