Nearly accident between two Aircraft

MOGADISHU - Saturday a collision between two commercial aircraft was narrowly avoided . The incident is remarkable and reminiscent of an incident from earlier in the week.

The incident involved a Boeing 787, registration A7-BCN, of Qatar Airways and an Airbus A350-900, registration ET-ATY, of Ethiopian Airlines. Qatar flight QR1383 was en route from Doha to Entebbe, Uganda. Flight ET602 was flying in the opposite direction Dubai. Off the coast of Somalia, the planes passed each other. The Dreamliner was flying at an altitude of 38 thousand feet and was in contact with air traffic control in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The Airbus was flying at an altitude of 39 thousand feet and was in contact with air traffic control in Hargeisa, a city in the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland.

For reasons still unknown, the Qatari 787 was incorrectly instructed by ATC to climb to 40 thousand feet, which would mean the aircraft would pass each other at the same altitude. 'Fortunately, the TCAS system warned of the risk of collision with the other aircraft. The planes were flying at a dangerous distance from each other, but the system built into both planes saved them," the Somaliland aviation authority said.