According to official media, Iran is looking into an allegation of a near-miss in its airspace between two Pakistani passenger jets caused by human error by air traffic controllers.
The news comes a day after Pakistan International Airlines reported that two of its planes flying at high altitude over Iran came within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of colliding on Sunday.
According to Pakistan International Airlines, Iranian air traffic authorities permitted Peshawar-bound PIA flight PK-268 to descend to 20,000 feet from 36,000 feet, resulting in the close call with PIA flight PK-211, which was flying at 35,000 feet and en route to Dubai.
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization announced that an inquiry into the near-miss had begun.
“Appropriate measures have been taken to obtain documents of the country’s control center, and we requested reports from the pilots of the planes for further investigation,” said CAO deputy head Hassan Khoshkhoo.
“Normally, after receiving all the documents, the issue is reviewed… and the final result is announced,” he told state broadcaster IRIB.
According to the news report, Captain Samiullah was piloting the Airbus A-320 and Captain Athar Haroon was piloting the Boeing 777.
The two planes carried out the customary procedure, with one being instructed to rise and the other to descend.
All aircraft are equipped with the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which directs the aircraft by interacting with the TCASs of other aircraft.
According to the PIA representative, the Airbus A-320 aircraft was given permission to descend to 20,000 feet, local media said.
The Boeing 777 airliner would have been on the route of the drop, the PIA representative continued, however, the TCAS system automatically guided the planes and changed their course, Dawn reported.
Sanctions hit Iran has experienced multiple air mishaps in recent years, and officials have complained that it is difficult to get replacement components for its old fleets of aircraft.
All 176 people on board a Ukraine International Airlines flight were killed when it was shot down by Iranian forces in January 2020 not long after it took off from Tehran.