DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Jetliners from the United Arab Emirates’ two main airlines avoided a possible midair collision after they got too close to each other earlier this week.
The incident happened Sunday as passenger planes from Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways were traveling in opposite directions between the Gulf federation and the island nation of Seychelles.
Both carriers have recently rerouted flights to the archipelago nation to avoid Yemeni airspace due to fighting there.
Emirates, the Middle East’s biggest carrier, said its flight 706 was returning to Dubai when what it called “an air traffic control incident” happened in airspace monitored by air traffic controllers in Mumbai, India.
It said it informed authorities of the incident and later filed an air safety report that will be forwarded to investigators in the Indian city.