On June 8, 2024, a serious incident occurred at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) when an IndiGo flight landed on the same runway from which an Air India jet was taking off. This near-miss was caught on camera and shared widely on social media, raising concerns about air traffic safety. The incident involved IndiGo flight 6E 6053 from Indore and Air India flight AI657 bound for Thiruvananthapuram. The Air India aircraft was cleared by the air traffic control tower to enter the runway and subsequently cleared for takeoff. The IndiGo flight from Indore was also given landing clearance by the air traffic control.
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According to data from Flightradar24, the two planes were 509 meters away from each other laterally at their closest point and were 511 meters apart when the Air India aircraft started to lift off. The close timing of the landing and takeoff created a hazardous situation that could have resulted in a significant accident. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken swift action by derostering an Air Traffic Control officer from Mumbai following the incident. An investigation has been initiated to understand the circumstances that led to this breach in protocol and to implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
In a statement, Air India said its plane was cleared by air traffic control to enter the runway and subsequently cleared for take-off. The airline clarified that the Mumbai-Trivandrum flight was cleared by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to enter the runway and that the Air India aircraft continued with the take-off roll in accordance with laid-down procedures.
IndiGo also issued a statement saying that the pilot in command of the Indore-Mumbai flight followed the ATC's instructions. The airline said that on June 8, 2024, IndiGo flight 6E 6053 from Indore was given landing clearance by ATC at Mumbai Airport. The incident has raised concerns about the safety protocols at Mumbai airport, with passengers expressing shock and disbelief at the close call. Authorities have assured the public that they are taking the matter seriously and are committed to ensuring the safety of all passengers flying in and out of Mumbai Airport.