An incident at Nice Côte d’Azur airport in France narrowly avoided a collision between an easyJet plane and a Nouvelair jet. The two aircraft, both Airbus A320s, were carrying over 300 passengers and crew combined. The near-miss occurred when the Tunisian Airbus attempted to land on the incorrect runway, prompting an urgent investigation by the French air accident investigation branch (BEA).
The situation unfolded during heavy rain on a Sunday evening, with the easyJet flight waiting to take off on the runway as the Nouvelair jet approached. The pilots of both aircraft were left shaken by the close call, with the easyJet captain expressing that only a few meters separated the planes.
While the airport management initially blamed the Nouvelair pilot for the error, speculation also arose regarding a possible mistake by the control tower in directing the landing aircraft. Flight tracking data revealed the Tunisian Airbus veering towards the wrong runway before executing a last-minute maneuver to avoid disaster.
Following the incident, both flights were grounded for investigation, with the BEA collecting black box data and planning interviews with the pilots and air traffic controllers. The agency emphasized the need for a thorough examination of the weather conditions and cautioned against premature conclusions. An easyJet spokesperson reiterated the company’s commitment to safety and cooperation with the ongoing investigation.