In a harrowing incident over the skies of Somaliland, an Emirates Boeing 777 and an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX narrowly avoided a catastrophic collision at 37,000 feet. The Somaliland Civil Aviation and Airports Authority (SCAAA) disclosed the heart-stopping event, which unfolded on March 24, marking another alarming episode in the region’s air safety concerns.
The two aircraft, Emirates Flight EK722 bound for Dubai and Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET690 en route to Bangalore, found themselves on a collision course due to conflicting instructions from air traffic controllers in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. This close call comes just a month after a similar incident rattled the same airspace, amplifying anxieties over aviation safety and air traffic control competence.
Emirates Flight EK722, originating from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET690, departing from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, were both cruising at 37,000 feet when the crisis unfolded. At approximately 00:43 EAT (21:43 UTC), their flight paths intersected, prompting swift action from the Somaliland air traffic controllers.
Fortunately, collaborative efforts between the controllers and the Ethiopian flight crew averted disaster. The Ethiopian pilots skillfully maneuvered their aircraft to ascend to 39,000 feet, ensuring a safe separation and preventing a potentially catastrophic collision.
This alarming incident underscores ongoing challenges in the region’s airspace management and coordination among air traffic control authorities. Conflicting directives received by flight crews over the Horn of Africa have become distressingly common this year, raising serious concerns about safety protocols and operational efficiency.
Complicating matters further, tensions persist between Somalia and Somaliland over airspace management, with the latter asserting independent control despite lacking international recognition. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) clarifies that while Somalia oversees airspace management from the Mogadishu Area Control Center, Somaliland maintains its stance on autonomous airspace governance.
Efforts to reach representatives from Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication, leaving lingering questions about the broader implications and preventive measures following this near-miss incident.
