Two passenger aircraft almost collided on the tarmac at Sydney Airport, Australia’s busiest airport, on Sunday. The incident involved a Jetstar A320 taxiing for takeoff and a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 being towed by an aircraft tug. A Jetstar cabin crew member was injured during the near-miss, which has led to an ongoing probe by Australian safety authorities.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) reported that the Jetstar plane was preparing to depart for the Gold Coast in Queensland when the flight crew spotted the nearby Qatar Airways aircraft crossing the taxiway. Both planes came to an abrupt halt to avoid collision, causing damage to the connection between the tug and the Boeing 777’s nose gear. Paramedics treated the injured Jetstar crew member on site.
Investigation Underway
The ATSB is collecting data from the aircraft involved, air traffic control, and interviewing crew members and tug operators to determine how the near collision occurred. Authorities have also requested that any witnesses provide visual evidence of the incident.
Jetstar, a low-cost subsidiary of Qantas, confirmed it is conducting its own internal review. A company spokesperson stated the Jetstar flight was operating under air traffic control instructions when the pilots had to apply sudden braking due to another aircraft approaching too closely. Qatar Airways has not yet released a statement.
Impact on Flights
Following the incident, Sydney Airport experienced delays in flight operations. Airservices Australia, the government agency responsible for air traffic management, noted that disruptions continued after they had recently implemented departure spacing measures due to staffing issues among air traffic controllers.
