New Delhi: A foremost heartbreak was warding off in Mumbai sky on Wednesday, February 07 2018 after an Air India flight turned away a mid-air clash with a Vistara plane flying in opposite direction. The two planes with 261 passengers aboard paced towards each other, got nearer and as close as 100 feet and a collision had been avoided by just a few seconds. According to The Times of India, air traffic controllers handling both the flights have been service-off. Especially, both the cockpits were manned by women at the time of the confrontation.

Air India's Airbus A-319 (flight number AI 631) was on way to Bhopal from Mumbai and Vistara's A-320 Neo (flight number UK 997) was airborne from Delhi to Pune and the planes were just about seconds away from each other. Vistara was downward from its assigned level of 29,000 feet to 27,100 feet where an AI flight was coming in the opposite direction. There may have been a big misunderstanding between the ATC and Vistara cockpit which at that time had a woman co-pilot at the controls and the captain had taken a nature’s call break. The AI flight had a woman commander, Captain Anupama Kohli. Maybe there was a mix-up in communication in those stressed seconds like what altitude instruction is being given to which lady.

 As per the sources told the daily All Credit goes to Captain Anupama Kohli, whose charisma of wits saved the lives of the fliers. She has an experience of more than 20 years. She saw the Vistara aircraft approaching in her direction and could hear the ATC asking UK 997 'why are you on this level?' The Vistara lady pilot told ATC that 'no, you told me to come to this level'. She was watching this. Then she saw the Vistara plane closing in from her left side right towards her. The red sign went up in her cockpit and she got to know the Vistara plane was crossing her level 'now'. Instantaneously, a resolution advisory (RA) came — 'climb, climb, climb." Then as per RA, Captain Kohli without delay climbed and turned right to steer clear of the Vistara plane.