Landing signal given on uncleared runway; KAC pilot averts disaster at airport
KUWAIT CITY: The alert pilot of Kuwait Airways Corporation’s (KAC) flight KU 672, which was coming from Dubai to Kuwait, recently averted a disaster when he decided not to land after seeing another plane ready to take off from the runway cleared for him, says Al-Wasat. “But for divine intervention and the split-second decision taken by the KAC pilot, Kuwait International Airport would have witnessed a terrible accident,” the daily adds. A passenger, who was onboard KU 672, said “there were 230 passengers in the plane which was coming from Dubai. The watchtower permitted the plane to land even as another plane was on the runway ready to take off.” Upon seeing another plane on the runway which was cleared for him, the captain of KU 672 decided not to land, took the plane back to air and returned only when he was sure of a safe landing, he added.
According to sources the second aircraft involved in the incident was a Boeing 747 rented to US army and was carrying some 100 passengers. While some sources said the American plane was waiting for its turn to take off from runway No 33P while KU 672 was three miles from the airport, others speculated that it had started taking off from the same runway which was cleared for KU 672 by the watchtower. Authorities will investigate the incident today to identify who is responsible for this mistake.
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