An Algerian Airlines Boeing narrowly escaped a potential collision with a Spanish Gestair plane at Marseille Airport, France, after both were cleared to use the same runway.
The near-accident, involving a mix-up in air traffic control, is now under investigation.
According to a report from the French civil aviation investigation authority, the incident took place on September 11, when an Algerian Airlines Boeing 737 (registration number 7T-VKL) was preparing to land on runway 31R.
To the pilot’s shock, another plane—a Boeing 757 operated by Spanish company Gestair (registration EC-NYM)—was already positioned on the runway, having been cleared for takeoff.
The incident was attributed to a coordination error in the control tower, where both planes were inadvertently given clearance for the same runway.
Thankfully, the Algerian Airlines pilot quickly noticed the issue, alerted air traffic controllers, and executed a go-around maneuver to avoid the collision. The pilot resumed the landing 20 minutes later, with passengers reportedly unaware of the close call.
The French Civil Aviation Safety Authority has labeled the incident as serious and launched an investigation. The potential disaster was averted by swift actions from the flight crew, and no injuries were reported.
