Vistara-IAF plane collision averted

Chandigarh, April 30

A major mishap was averted when an Air Vistara flight was asked to abort its take-off at the last moment to avoid crashing into an IAF plane that was landing on the same runway at the international airport here.

Sources said the timely intervention by the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) prevented the mishap from happening when the Delhi-bound Air Vistara flight was about to take off from here yesterday after an IL-76 cargo plane of the Indian Air Force sought permission for landing. The Air Vistara flight had 151 passengers on board and was scheduled to depart at 3.20 pm. However, it got delayed and left past 5 pm.

They said as the plane accelerated to take off, it was asked to abort. After the incident, Vistara tweeted, “Regret the trouble, take-off was aborted as per instructions from ATC at Chandigarh.”— PTI